In the third and final ODI of the series at Sharjah, Bangladesh set Afghanistan a target of 245 after scoring 244/8 in their 50 overs with the help of Mahmudullah’s 98 & Miraz’s 66.
A key 98 from veteran Mahmudullah and a steady 66 from stand-in captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz were the highlights of Bangladesh’s total, as Afghanistan’s bowlers, especially Azmatullah Omarzai, kept things tight throughout.
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Bangladesh got off to a good start with openers Soumya Sarkar and Tanzid Hasan putting on 53 for the first wicket. Soumya looked in good touch, scoring 24 off 23 balls, but was dismissed when Omarzai bowled him out in the ninth over. Tanzid followed soon after, caught by Hashmatullah Shahidi off Mohammad Nabi for 19. Zakir Hasan, who came in next, was run out by Nangeyalia Kharote after a mix-up with Miraz, leaving Bangladesh at 58/3 by the 11th over.
Under pressure, Mehidy and Mahmudullah rebuilt the innings with a patient partnership. Mehidy played carefully, making 66 off 119 balls, while Mahmudullah was more aggressive. Together, they put on a 145-run stand, taking 188 balls to recover from the early losses.
Mehidy was dismissed in the 46th over, caught by Gulbadin Naib off a slower ball from Omarzai, but his knock had given Bangladesh the stability they needed.
Mahmudullah then took control in the final overs, pushing the scoring rate higher. He hit seven fours and three sixes, reaching 98 off 98 balls. However, he fell just short of a century, getting run out on the last ball of the innings while trying for a risky second run.
Omarzai finished with figures of 4/37 from seven overs, effectively halting Bangladesh’s late charge. Afghanistan’s spinners, Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi, were also disciplined. Nabi’s economical spell of 10 overs for just 37 runs kept Bangladesh under constant pressure.
Bangladesh ended their innings at 244/8, a challenging but defendable total on the Sharjah pitch. With the series tied at 1-1, Afghanistan will need a strong chase to win the series, while Bangladesh will rely on their bowlers to seal the victory.
