Farooqi provides the spark as Afghanistan beat Bangladesh in the rain

1st ODI (D/N), Chattogram, July 05, 2023

, Afghanistan tour of Bangladesh

(21.4/21.4 ov, T:67) 83/2

Afghanistan won by 17 runs (DLS method)

Afghanistan 83 for 2 (Ibrahim 41*, Shakib 1-9) beat Bangladesh 169 for 9 (Hridoy 51, Farooqi 3-24) by 17 runs (DLS method)

In between three rain breaks, Afghanistan sneaked a fine bowling performance to beat Bangladesh by 17 runs, to take a 1-0 lead in the ODI series. Play was suspended in Chattogram for a total of three hours and 15 minutes, reducing the game to 43-overs-a-side. But even that wasn't possible. A final downpour at 9.33pm forced the players off the field with the visitors on 83 for 2 in 21.4 overs, and since that was 17 runs more than the DLS par score at that point of the innings, they were declared the winners.

Fazalhaq Farooqi was the pick of the Afghanistan bowlers, taking 3 for 24 to continue the form he showed in the ODI series here last year. Their spin trio of Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman also put Bangladesh under pressure, combining to take five wickets for 69 runs in 24 overs.

They offered relief as well, with 24 extras in three dropped catches, but the home side couldn't take advantage. Only Towhid Hridoy stood firm, making his third ODI fifty, but there was hardly any support from the other end. Bangladesh were guilty of several soft dismissals, as they collapsed from a potentially strong 103 for 3 to 169 for 9 in 43 overs.

The groundstaff of the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, who were tireless in peeling and unpeeling the large tarps that covered most of the 30-yard circle to protect it from the rain, deserve high praise. Credit should also go to the near capacity crowd that struck around for most of the game, despite there being very little overhead cover at the ground. They had to scamper to the staircases to save themselves from the rain that swept in from south.

The players they came to see though didn't do them any favours. Merely flattered to deceive.

Because apart from Tamim Iqbal's dismissal in the seventh over, Bangladesh were actually going at a good pace in the first 20 overs. Litton Das and Najmul Hossain Shanto promised plenty of runs, hitting five boundaries, including a six. But when they fell within six balls of each other - Litton timing a pull straight to deep square leg and Shanto top-edging a sweep to short fine leg - Bangladesh started to slow down.

With Shakib Al Hasan focused on seeing out a few overs, Afghanistan took advantage. The fourth wicket added just 37 runs in 65 balls, and while the slowdown was necessary due to the first rain break, after 15.1 overs of play, it ultimately cost Bangladesh.

Shakib laboured to 15 off 37 balls - his slowest ODI innings in eight years (min 30 balls) - before Nabi had him caught at cover. Rashid removed Mushfiqur Rahim for the tenth time in competitive cricket, a half-tracker slipping through the batter's legs, glancing the inner thigh and hitting the stumps. Afghanistan's legspin ace also got Afif Hossain lbw, with a little help from DRS, and when Farooqi returned to take out Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Bangladesh's batting was a freefall.

After another rain break, Taskin fell lbw to Mujeeb before Towhid became Farooqi's third wicket of the day. Mustafizur Rahman dead-batting what turned out to be the last over of the innings raised a few laughs but mainly it just summed up Bangladesh's turgid batting effort, especially in the last 20 overs when they could only manage three runs an over.

It wasn't that Afghanistan didn't offer Bangladesh chances. Mujeeb dropped a return catch from Shanto on 10. Wicketkeeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz dropped Hridoy when he was 16 off the same bowler, while in the last over, Rashid dropped Hasan Mahmud, though that last one didn't really count much.

Afghanistan also took a watchful approach to their 164-run chase. Openers Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran struck just four boundaries between them as they added 54 runs in 15.3 overs before Shanto had Gurbaz caught at short midwicket. He made 22 off 45 balls with just one four.

Taskin then had Rahmat Shah caught at slip where Litton took a good low catch. Ibrahim ended up not out on 41 off 58 balls with five fours. Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi accompanied him when the third rain break came, unbeaten on nine off 13 balls.