AI Simulation, AFG vs BAN | Gurbaz-Zadran duo leads Afghanistan to five-wicket win against Bangladesh in first ODI

Pitch and Weather

The Abu Dhabi surface is expected to be on the drier side, good for batting early but expected to slow down under lights.

Dew will be minimal due to the desert air. The weather is expected to hover around 34°C in the afternoon, easing to 29°C by evening, a classic Gulf evening for cricket.

Toss

Bangladesh won the toss and decided to bat first.

Lineups

AFG XI: Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Darwish Rasooli, Rahmat Shah, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Mohammad Saleem, Rashid Khan, Allah Ghazanfar, Abdollah Ahmadzai.

BAN XI: Mohammad Naim, Tanzid Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Jaker Ali (WK), Mehidy Hasan Miraz (C), Saif Hassan, Shamim Hossain, Tanvir Alam, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Nahid Rana.

Match Report

After opting to bat first, Bangladesh openers Mohammad Naim and Tanzid Hasan stitched a decent opening partnership of 56 runs in 9.3 overs. Mohammad Saleem broke this partnership in the 10th over, dismissing Tanzid Hasan at the individual score of 31 runs off 38 balls, with three fours and a six. After Tanzid’s dismissal, Naim added another important partnership of 42 runs for the second wicket with Najmul Hossain Shanto. Naim scored 42 runs off 57 balls before getting caught by Mohammad Nabi off Azmatullah Omarzai on the fifth ball of the 18th over. Later in the innings, Shanto played a crucial knock of 61 (79), followed by skipper Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s 34 (41). Shamim Hossain’s (22) contribution around the end of the innings helped Bangladesh post 236/9 on the board in the allotted 50 overs. Mohammad Saleem and Allah Ghazanfar scalped two wickets each, alongside a wicket picked by Rashid Khan.

While chasing the target, Afghanistan’s opening pair of Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz stitched an amazing partnership of 112 runs in just 16.2 overs. This partnership laid a strong foundation for Afghanistan’s successful run chase. Taskin Ahmed gave Bangladesh first breakthrough in the 17th over, dismissing Gurbaz, who scored 63 runs off 58 balls, with eight fours and a six. Following him, Zadran added another important partnership of 49 runs for the second wicket with skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi (39). Zadran played the match-winning knock of 77 runs off 101 balls, with six fours and a six. These knocks, followed by Omarzai’s unbeaten 24* (27), helped their side chase the target successfully in 47.3 overs, scoring 240/5. Taskin Ahmed, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, and Mustafizur Rahman picked a wicket each for their side, but their efforts weren’t enough to restrict Afghanistan. With this win, Afghanistan has secured a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series.

Player of the Match

Star Afghanistan opener Ibrahim Zadran won the ‘Player of the Match’ award for his brilliant match-winning and anchored knock of 77 runs off 101 balls, with six fours and a six. Besides this, his opening partnership with Gurbaz also played a game-changing role in Afghanistan’s five-wicket win.

Scorecard