Bangladesh Hold Their Nerve to Defeat Afghanistan by 8 Runs in Asia Cup

The Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi buzzed with excitement as Bangladesh and Afghanistan clashed in a pivotal Group B match of the Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025. The match ended up with Bangladesh taking up the crucial two points here.

Bangladesh’s Innings

Bangladesh won the toss and chose to bat first, hoping to set a challenging total on a pitch that hinted at assistance for spinners. Openers Saif Hassan and Tanzid Hasan strode out to face Afghanistan’s disciplined bowling attack. Fazalhaq Farooqi, Afghanistan’s pace spearhead, started proceedings with a tight opening over, but the Bangladeshi duo responded with composure. Saif, calm and collected, flicked a ball off his pads for a boundary in the first over, giving the innings early momentum. Tanzid, known for his fearless strokeplay, wasted no time in making his mark.

FIFTY! 💥 Tanzid Hasan Tamim leading the charge for Bangladesh!

Bangladesh 🇧🇩 🆚 Afghanistan 🇦🇫 | Match 9 | Asia Cup 2025

16 September 2025 | 8:30 PM | Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi#Bangladesh #TheTigers #BCB #Cricket #AsiaCup #Cricket #TigersForever #AsiaCup2025 pic.twitter.com/buxzkYwTvy

— Bangladesh Cricket (@BCBtigers) September 16, 2025

The powerplay saw the openers lay a strong foundation. Saif pounced on anything loose, elegantly driving a four through the covers off Azmatullah Omarzai. By the end of the sixth over, Bangladesh had raced to 63 without loss, with Tanzid stealing the show. He took a particular liking to the spinners, lofting Noor Ahmad for a massive six over long-on and following it with a pair of crisp boundaries.

The tide turned in the seventh over when Afghanistan’s talismanic captain, Rashid Khan, entered the attack. His first ball was a cunning googly that completely bamboozled Saif Hassan. The ball snuck through, beating the inside edge and trapping Saif plumb in front of the stumps. He walked off for a well-made 30 off 28 balls, including two fours and a six, ending the opening stand at 63 in 6.4 overs.

Litton Das, Bangladesh’s captain and wicket-keeper, came in at number three. He played with caution, focusing on nudging singles alongside Tanzid to keep the scoreboard moving. Noor Ahmad, the young left-arm wrist-spinner, bowled a tidy spell, giving away just 23 runs in his four overs while picking up key wickets. In the 10th over, Litton went for a sweep but misjudged the line, and the ball thudded into his pads. The umpire’s finger went up, and despite a hopeful review, the decision stood. Litton’s 9 runs off 11 balls, without a boundary, left Bangladesh at 87 for 2 in 10.1 overs.

Towhid Hridoy joined Tanzid, and the pair set about rebuilding. Tanzid, in scintillating form, brought up his fifty with a stylish four off Mohammad Nabi, reaching 52 off 31 balls with four fours and three sixes. He looked set to dominate, but Noor Ahmad returned to spoil the party. In the 12th over, Tanzid went for a big slog but miscued it to long-on, where Ibrahim Zadran held a simple catch. His 52, scored at a strike rate of 167.74, ended at 104 for 3 in 12.5 overs, and Bangladesh felt the sting of losing their star batter.

Shamim Hossain walked in with purpose, injecting energy into the middle order. He started brightly, cracking two fours off Rashid Khan’s bowling, but the leg-spinner had the final say. In the 15th over, Rashid fired in a quicker delivery that skidded through, catching Shamim off guard and trapping him lbw for 11 off 11 balls. Bangladesh were 121 for 4 in 15.3 overs, and the need for a late flourish was evident. Towhid Hridoy, who had played a steady hand with 26 off 20 balls, including a four and a six, tried to up the tempo.

But in the 18th over, Azmatullah Omarzai outsmarted him with a slower ball, which Hridoy sliced to point, where Karim Janat pouched a sharp catch. Bangladesh were 139 for 5 in 18.1 overs, and the lower order had work to do. Jaker Ali and Nurul Hasan stepped up in the final overs. Jaker played a measured knock, finishing unbeaten on 12 off 13 balls with a single four. Nurul, in contrast, threw caution to the wind, smashing two boundaries in his unbeaten 12 off 6 balls. Their 15-run cameo in the last two overs lifted Bangladesh to 154 for 5 in 20 overs, at a run rate of 7.70.

Afghanistan’s bowlers shared the spoils: Rashid Khan was outstanding with 2 for 26 in four overs, Noor Ahmad impressed with 2 for 23, and Omarzai chipped in with 1 for 19. Fazalhaq Farooqi went wicketless for 37 runs, while Ghazanfar conceded 32 without reward. Mohammad Nabi’s two overs cost 17 runs. Extras included two wides. Bangladesh’s promising start was curtailed by regular wickets, particularly through the spinners, who took 4 for 66 in 13 overs, while the pacers claimed 1 for 56 in 7 overs.

Afghanistan’s Innings

Chasing 155, Afghanistan’s innings got off to a nightmare start. Openers Sediqullah Atal and Rahmanullah Gurbaz faced Nasum Ahmed’s left-arm spin in the first over. Atal was dismissed first ball, beaten by a sharp-turning delivery and given out lbw for a golden duck. Afghanistan were 0 for 1 in 0.1 overs, and the pressure was on. Ibrahim Zadran joined Gurbaz, and the pair treaded carefully. Taskin Ahmed shared the new ball, but Gurbaz settled in, clipping a four through point to ease the nerves.

Rishad takes off! 🦸‍♂️ Soaring like Superman after that wicket! 💥

Photo Credit: @ACCMedia1 pic.twitter.com/s7WaPUtaFy

— Bangladesh Cricket (@BCBtigers) September 16, 2025

By the fourth over, Afghanistan had limped to 18 runs, but Nasum struck again. He trapped Ibrahim Zadran lbw with a slider, and despite a review, the decision was upheld as umpire’s call on impact. Zadran’s 5 off 12 balls, with one four, left Afghanistan at 18 for 2 in 4.1 overs. Gulbadin Naib arrived at number four and looked to fight back, hammering two fours off Rishad Hossain’s leg-spin. Gurbaz, ever the aggressor, lofted Nasum for a six and smashed another off Shamim Hossain’s bowling.

The pair pushed Afghanistan to 51 in 8.3 overs before Rishad removed Gulbadin. Naib went for a big shot but only managed to spoon it back to the bowler for a caught and bowled dismissal, scoring 16 off 14 balls with two fours. At the drinks break, Afghanistan were 61 for 3 after 10 overs, with Gurbaz on 35 off 31 balls, including two fours and two sixes. Mohammad Nabi joined him, but the climbing run rate added pressure. Rishad struck again, dismissing Gurbaz, who miscued a sweep to deep midwicket, where Jaker Ali took the catch. Gurbaz’s 35 ended at 62 for 4 in 10.2 overs.

Azmatullah Omarzai came in and lit up the chase, blasting three sixes, two of them off Saif Hassan’s off-spin. Nabi contributed with a six off Mustafizur Rahman but fell to the same bowler in the 13th over, bowled for 15 off 15 balls. Afghanistan were 77 for 5 in 12.6 overs. Omarzai kept going, racing to 30 off 16 balls with one four and three sixes, but Taskin Ahmed got him in the 16th over, caught at long-on by Saif Hassan. At 109 for 6 in 15.4 overs, Afghanistan needed 46 runs off 26 balls.

Karim Janat struggled, scoring 6 off 8 balls before a mix-up led to his run-out by Nurul Hasan and Litton Das in the 17th over, leaving Afghanistan at 124 for 7. Rashid Khan, the captain, played a cameo of 20 off 11 balls, with two fours and a six, but Mustafizur dismissed him in the 18th over, caught at deep midwicket by Taskin. Noor Ahmad smashed two sixes in his 14 off 9 balls but fell to Taskin in the final over, caught by Nurul at mid-off. AM Ghazanfar gloved a ball to Litton off Mustafizur for a duck. Fazalhaq Farooqi was unbeaten on 2 off 3 balls.

Nail-biter WIN! 🏏Bangladesh clinched it by 8 runs! 💪🇧🇩

Bangladesh 🇧🇩 🆚 Afghanistan 🇦🇫 | Match 9 | Asia Cup 2025

16 September 2025 | 8:30 PM | Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi#Bangladesh #TheTigers #BCB #Cricket #AsiaCup #Cricket #TigersForever #AsiaCup2025 pic.twitter.com/DAtHPsyt7O

— Bangladesh Cricket (@BCBtigers) September 16, 2025

Afghanistan finished at 146 all out in 20 overs, falling short by 8 runs. Mustafizur led the way with 3 for 28, Nasum took 2 for 11 with a maiden, Rishad claimed 2 for 18, and Taskin picked up 2 for 34. Saif Hassan was expensive, leaking 39 runs in three overs, while Shamim conceded 16 in one. Extras included one no-ball and two wides. Afghanistan reached 100 runs by 14.4 overs, but timely wickets derailed their chase.

TCNI’s Magic Moment of the Game

In the searing heat of Abu Dhabi, Tanzid Hasan lit up the stadium with a breathtaking knock that earned TCNI’s Magic Moment of the Game. Facing Afghanistan’s vaunted bowling attack, led by Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad, Tanzid partnered with Saif Hassan to forge a 63-run opening stand in just 6.4 overs. His 52 off 31 balls, packed with four fours and three towering sixes, came at a blistering strike rate of 167.74.

Job well done, Tanzid Tamim ✅ 🇧🇩

Photo Credit: @ACCMedia1 pic.twitter.com/eN3FIWsK4k

— Bangladesh Cricket (@BCBtigers) September 16, 2025

The highlight was a lofted six over cover off Noor Ahmad that had the crowd roaring, followed by a pulled six off Omarzai that soared into the stands. By the 10th over, Bangladesh were flying at over seven runs an over, but Litton Das’s lbw dismissal at 87 for 2 shifted the momentum. Tanzid kept the innings on track, adding 17 with Towhid Hridoy before holing out to Ibrahim Zadran off Noor at 104 for 3 in 12.5 overs. His departure left Bangladesh at 139 for 5 by the 18th over, but Jaker Ali and Nurul Hasan’s late surge pushed them to 154 for 5, setting up a thrilling chase.

TCNI’s Hero of the Day

Mustafizur Rahman was the undisputed Hero of the Day, delivering a match-winning performance that sealed Bangladesh’s eight-run victory. The pacer bowled a masterful spell, finishing with 3 wickets for 28 runs in four overs at an economy rate of 7.00. His clever variations and tight lines were crucial in restricting Afghanistan to 146 while chasing 155.

🚨100 T20I WICKETS IN WINNING CAUSE 😳

What a stat! Mustafiz is the real Match WINNER 🙌#MustafizurRahman #BDCricTime pic.twitter.com/uda3rYtQYv

— bdcrictime.com (@BDCricTime) September 17, 2025

Mustafizur broke the back of Afghanistan’s middle order, dismissing Mohammad Nabi for 15 to end a dangerous stand, then removing Rashid Khan for 20 and AM Ghazanfar for a duck in quick succession to spark a collapse. With just 12 dot balls and only three fours and one six conceded, he kept the pressure on throughout. In a match that saw 13 wickets fall, Mustafizur’s three scalps, especially in the death overs, were game-changing.