In a match that swung wildly from one side to the other, Bangladesh pulled off a tense four-wicket win against Afghanistan in the first T20I of their series in Sharjah. The game, played under the lights on Thursday, saw Afghanistan post 151 for eight after being put in to bat. Rahmanullah Gurbaz's gritty 40 off 31 balls provided some stability, but it was Mohammad Nabi's explosive 38 from just 22 deliveries that pushed the total to a defendable score. Still, early collapses left them vulnerable—four wickets down for a mere 43 runs at one point.
Bangladesh's chase started brightly enough, with openers Tanzid Hasan and Parvez Hossain Emon stitching together a commanding 109-run partnership. Tanzid smashed 51 off 37, while Parvez fired 54 from the same number of balls, putting the visitors on course for a comfortable victory in pursuit of 152. But cricket, as always, had other ideas. A shocking collapse followed, with Bangladesh losing six wickets for just nine runs in a frantic spell. Rashid Khan's four-wicket haul turned the tide dramatically, leaving the batting lineup in tatters and hearts in mouths for the Bangladeshi camp.
However, Narul Hasan and Rishad Hossain steadied the ship just in time. Narul's unbeaten 23 off nine balls, including some lusty blows, combined with Rishad's 14 off nine, guided them home with eight balls to spare. It was a win that felt more like survival than dominance, highlighting Bangladesh's fragility under pressure despite their recent form. Afghanistan's bowlers, led by Khan's wizardry, nearly pulled off a miracle, but dropped catches and untimely extras proved costly.
Indeed, this series opener exposed both teams' strengths and glaring weaknesses. For Afghanistan, the semi-finalists from the last T20 World Cup, it was another reminder of their batting inconsistencies. Bangladesh, meanwhile, scraped through but showed resilience in the lower order. Moreover, with two more T20Is to come, the momentum could shift quickly—who knows what twists await in this bilateral showdown?