Cool-headed Mohammad Nabi finished the second T20I with a six to secure a six-wicket win for Afghanistan and hand them an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series against Bangladesh.
At 115-4, Afghanistan required 20 with two overs left chasing Bangladesh’s 134, and Nabi finished it in five balls, pumping Rubel Hossain first for a one-bounce four over the top, then over long-off for six, pausing for a dot ball before ramping a short ball over backward point and finally smashing the match-winning six over long-off.
Afghanistan clinch the series against Bangladesh! Samiullah Shenwari leads the way with 49 before Mohammad Nabi finishes it in style to get them a 6 wicket win with 7 balls spare! #AFGvBAN scorecard ➡️ https://t.co/sY4OLi3dSN pic.twitter.com/S9xJhgIuU6
— ICC (@ICC) June 5, 2018
Nabi ended on a 15-ball 31 but No.3 Samiullah Shenwari played the game’s biggest innings with 49 after openers Mohammad Shahzad (24) and Usman Ghani (21) got the chase off to a solid start. Nazmul Islam (0-14 from 4) and Abu Hider (1-14 from 3) were outstanding with the ball for Bangladesh and gave their side a fighting chance of defending a slightly below-par score before Nabi’s dramatic late intervention.
Earlier, Rashid Khan had turned the screw for Afghanistan by ripping through the middle order with a sensational four-wicket haul, including the wickets of Shakib, Tamim Iqbal and Mossadek Hossain all in one pivotal over.
He’s picking up Player of the Match awards just like he’s picking up wickets – with alarming regularity!
Congratulations @rashidkhan_19! ?#AFGvBAN pic.twitter.com/ddTwAFUt22
— ICC (@ICC) June 5, 2018
Shakib won the toss and opted to bat on the used wicket at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Dehradun, Bangladesh’s new ‘home’ ground, as his side sought to recover from their 45-run defeat in the first match.
Tamim Iqbal top-scored for Bangladesh, hitting 43 off 48 balls from the top of the order without ever looking fully fluent against Afghanistan’s trio of spinners. He struggled to get the excellent Mujeeb Ur Rahman away in the early overs before being clean bowled attempting an ill-judged sweep against Rashid. Tamim’s partner Liton Das, meanwhile, was dismissed from the first ball of the second over by Shapoor Zadran for just 1.
No.3 Sabbir Rahman played nicely for his 13 but fell dancing down the wicket and hitting Nabi straight to deep mid-wicket.
Mushfiqur Rahim batted impishly for 22, including a nonchalantly ramped six over fine-leg off Karim Janat, but was the victim of a lightning quick stumping by Mohammad Shahzad off Nabi. Skipper Shakib became the first victim of Rashid following the leg-spinner’s introduction in the 11th over.
Some good late hitting from Abu Hider (21) got Bangladesh up to 134 but the game had been turned by Rashid. With Bangladesh 81/3 with Tamim and Mahmudullah at the crease they could have been set for a formidable total, but the leg-spinner showed exactly why he’s the world’s No.1 T20I bowler, turning the match for his side to help secure the series for Afghanistan by sending them 2-0 up with one to play.
