Bangladesh held their nerve to defeat Afghanistan by eight runs in the group stage match of Asia Cup 2025. They have kept their qualification hopes alive and the match was an absolute thriller testing both skill and composure on tricky surface. The defining moment came from the first ball when Nasum Ahmed rapped Sediqullah Atal in lbw.
In the first six overs, Afghanistan could only score 27 runs for two wickets and Bangladesh spinners then took full control. Rahmanullah Gurbaz tried to handle the innings but he was also dismissed after the drinks break. For the Bangladeshi side, Mustafizur Rahman was the star – he took 3 wickets for 28 and delivered tight overs in the death.
Afghanistan could never gain momentum in the match following which skipper Rashid Khan reflected on the loss and highlighted the loopholes.
“We were in the game until the end. Until I got out, we were there, but we just couldn’t finish it up. I think 30 runs in 15 balls nowadays is very achievable, but at that time, we put a lot of pressure on ourselves and couldn’t execute our shots well.”
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“Definitely, the way we came back with the bowling was a huge job done. To restrict them to under 160s, after they had 90 in the first 10 overs, was a huge job. I think it was a 160-170-run wicket, but we played some irresponsible shots where it wasn’t needed. It is a crucial time, especially in the Asia Cup, where you have very few games, and each game is quite important for us. The next game is a big one against Sri Lanka. We need to be well-prepared. We need to learn from our mistakes and be strong mentally, and that’s going to be a challenge for all of us.”
