Afghanistan 6-254 (Asghar Stanikzai 90*, Samiullah Shenwari 81, Arafat Sunny 2-44) beat Bangladesh 222 (Mominul Haque 50, Ziaur Rahman 41, Mohammad Nabi 3-44, Hamid Hassan 2-26) by 32 runs.
Samiullah Shenwari and Asghar Stanikzai plundered 164 runs for the sixth wicket while their bowlers squeezed the innings of Bangladesh to win the game.
The visitors smashed 254 runs for the loss of six wickets in 50 overs and the hosts were bowled out for 222 with 13 balls to spare.
Samiullah Shenwari (Afghanistan) was declared ‘Player of the match’ for his all round performance in the game.
The Asia Cup-5th match was held on Saturday, March 1, 2014, at Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium, Fatullah.
Earlier, Mushfiqur Rahim, the captain of Bangladesh, won the toss and invited the Afghani team to bat first. The first wicket was lost at just six runs and the following two were gone at 43. Asghar Stanikzai and Nawroz Mangal crawled to 74 when the latter ran himself out for 24 and his skipper, Mohammad Nabi, became the next victim for just seven.
The tourists were in deep trouble at 5-90 after 26.5 overs when Samiullah Shenwari got together with Asghar Stanikzai. The duo kept on consolidating and the latter attained his fourth ODI fifty with a big six. His partner followed him with his fourth ODI half century as well and the run rate was speeded up by two. The batsmen shared a match winning partnership of 164 runs and enhanced the score to 254 when Samiulllah Shenwari was run out for 81. Asghar Stanikzai secured his end for 90 as Afghanistan powered 6-254 at the end of the 50th over.
Arafat Sunny was the highest wicket taker with two whereas Rubel Hossain and Mominul Haque held one each.
The openers of the home side were removed for just one run when Mominul Haque and Mushfiqur Rahim got off for the repair work. They crept to 69 in 18.1 overs as the latter was declared leg before wicket off Mohammad Nabi for 23 and was replaced by Nasir Hossain. Mominul Haque attained his second ODI fifty in the process but was clean bowled by Samiullah Shenwari for 50.
Naeem Islam walked in next as Nasir Hussain continued surviving the drop catches but finally surrendered his wicket at 161 for 41. The first became the next victim four runs later for 31 and the Bengal Tigers were reeling at 8-165 after 40.1 overs. Ziaur Rahman kept their hopes alive with brilliant hitting in all corners of the park. He posted 41 runs off just 22 balls with 3 giant sixes and 4 fours before he was clean bowled by Mohammad Nabi. The entire innings of the home side was folded back for 222 in 47.5 overs.
Mohammad Nabi was the main wicket taker with three, Shapoor Zadran and Hamid Hassan got two each whereas Karim Sadiq and Samiullah Shenwari shared one wicket each.
Afghanistan clinched the game against a Test playing nation with a margin of 32 runs and secured four points.
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