Afghanistan didn’t just beat Bangladesh in Abu Dhabi, they dismantled them piece by piece in an humiliation by 81 runs, which was as much about tenacity as it was about guile. What started as a small target of 190 on a slow wicket led to a mountain that Bangladesh never looked as if climbing. Rashid Khan spun a web which only he could weave, Azmatullah Omarzai‘s seam movement proved too much for the top order, and by the 29th over, Bangladesh were all out for 109 | a total which appeared even smaller than it looked.
The Batting Collapse That Wrote Its Own Eulogy
You can’t expect to win ODI matches if your top order behaves as if it’s still in the PowerPlay of a T20. The innings started with a self-imposed catastrophe, Tanzid Hasan’s ill-timed pull to fine leg, followed by Najmul Hossain Shanto tumbling over anxious for a second run, which summed up the fraught situation of his teammate. By the 11th over, the scoreboard read 50/4, and the chase had already lost its spine.
There was no temperance, no game plan, and certainly no respect for match situations. Saif Hassan (22) and Towhid Hridoy (24) showed signs of promise but fell to uneducated strokes when they needed to anchor. It was not that Afghanistan’s total was imposing; it was Bangladesh’s refusal to build any partnerships that made it look thus. From 79/4 to 99/9, there were six wickets lost for a total of 20 runs, a drop so steep that it could have been easily mistaken for a Theme Park free-fall ride.
Rashid Khan: The Spin Wizard Strikes Again
Each time Rashid Khan bowled, the story changed. From 79/4 to 109 all out, and it was his territory. The Afghan star recorded 5 for 17 in just 8.3 overs, going through the middle and lower orders of Bangladesh like a deranged man. There was no classical turn. There was deception, drift, and sheer mental pressure.
A straight delivery from Rashid rattled the stumps of Towhid Hridoy. A low-bouncing hit from Nurul Hasan was smothered before the South African umpires gave Tanzim Sakib lbw for a score of zero. Rashid was not merely bowling, but enticing his prey. Even the comparatively young Rishad Hossain, who tried a dance down the pitch to play a big hit, was left stranded in some vague in-between position so that Gurbaz could whip off the bails.
Tactical Misreads and Failure to Read the Pitch
That pitch in Abu Dhabi was slow, gripping, and begging for patience. Afghanistan got it. Bangladesh didn’t. Ibrahim Zadran’s 95 off 140 balls was the perfect template – grind it out, play late, respect the conditions. Bangladesh batted instead as if chasing not 190, but 290.
The glaring over-aggression in the Power Play and the doe-eyed love of intent in the middle overs, combined with uncoordinated shots against spin, presaged a total lack of tactical awareness. The bowlers were equally able to bring to bear ineffective pressure, with Mustafizur Rahman wicketless even with excellent control being shown, and Mehidy taking a more circumspect attitude with spin bowlers, where aggression was most needed on this surface.
FAQs
1: What went wrong with Bangladesh’s batting?
A lack of partnerships and reckless shot selection led to a full-blown collapse from 79/4 to 109 all out.
2: Who was the biggest difference-maker in the match?
Rashid Khan’s 5-for turned the game on its head, making a modest Afghan total look unchaseable.
3: Was the pitch too difficult for batting?
Not really, it demanded discipline. Afghanistan showed how to play on it; Bangladesh simply didn’t.
Disclaimer: This Exclusive News is based on the author’s understanding, analysis, and instinct. As you review this information, consider the points mentioned and form your own conclusions.
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