C T Online Desk: A lackluster batting performance by the Bangladeshi batsmen caused them a 17-run defeat in the D/L method during the rain-marred three-match ODI series opener against Afghanistan at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium on Wednesday.
Rain interrupted the match in Chattogram three times – two in the Bangladesh innings and one during the Afghanistan chase – but it couldn’t save Bangladesh, who could only make 169-9 in their stipulated 43 overs, from suffering a loss in the contest.
Chasing a revised target of 164 runs in 43 overs, Afghanistan reached 83-2 in 21.4 overs when the rain came to halt the proceedings for the last time on the day.
As the persistent rain didn’t stop until 10:35pm (local time), the umpires awarded the game to Afghanistan as they were ahead of Bangladesh in the D/L method.
Towhid Hridoy struck the highest 51 off 69 balls but he failed to get support from the other hand as Bangladesh had to be content with a below-par score after being sent into bat first.
Afghanistan pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi was the chief destroyer in the Bangladesh innings as he finished with 3-24 and was also adjudged player of the match.
Afghanistan spinners Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman also played their roles successfully by claiming two wickets each.
The visitors got off to an excellent start thanks to their openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran as they put up a 54-run stand.
Shakib Al Hasan broke the stand by dismissing the former after he made 22 runs but Ibrahim continued to punish Bangladeshi bowlers with boundaries now and then.
Rahmat Shah (eight) was edged to the wicketkeeper by pacer Taskin Ahmed but Ibrahim (41 not out) and skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi (nine not out) batted the next few overs carefully to go into the final rain break without further causality.
Earlier, Bangladesh, who played with eight batsmen, lost skipper Tamim Iqbal (13) in the seventh over after he tried to reach a length ball outside off from pacer Farooqi only to get edged to the wicketkeeper.
The hosts then lost Liton Das (26) and Najmul Hossain Shanto (12) when they tried to play unnecessary shots to Afghanistan spinners and were limited to 84-3 in 15 overs before rain made an interruption in the game for the first time.
The game resumed after 50 minutes but Bangladesh’s batting worry continued as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals.
Shakib (15) played a soft cover drive only to get caught by Mohammad Nabi while Mushfiqur Rahim (0) was bowled by Rashid in the next over while trying to play a pull shot.
Afif Hossain (four) and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (five) also failed to make any decent contribution with the bat as they departed cheaply which left Bangladesh at 144-7 in the 35th over. At that time, rain interrupted for the second time.
An hour and 20 minutes of rain forced the umpires to curtail the match overs and it was made a 43-over per side contest.
Bangladesh could add only 25 runs to their scoreboard after the second rain break and the fate of the game was also decided by that time.
The second match of the series will be held at the same venue on Saturday.
