In the third ODI between Bangladesh and Afghanistan, Shoriful Islam delivered a remarkable performance with career-best figures of 4 for 21, guiding Bangladesh to a convincing seven-wicket victory. Taskin Ahmed and Taijul Islam provided valuable support with two wickets each, while Shakib Al Hasan demonstrated his bowling prowess by conceding just 13 runs in his ten overs. This exceptional bowling effort restricted Afghanistan to a meager total of 126, their lowest against Bangladesh.
Bangladesh displayed a clinical approach during the chase, completing it in just 23.3 overs. Litton Das played a crucial role, remaining unbeaten on 53, and Shakib contributed a run-a-ball 39. The team's disciplined bowling in the previous match, where they conceded 331 runs, was rectified with Shakib's economical spell. Notably, this is the third time that Bangladesh has conceded 13 or fewer runs in an ODI, with Shakib being the bowler on all three occasions.
Afghanistan struggled to build a substantial total, with only Azmatullah Omarzai's maiden ODI fifty rescuing them from a smaller score. Omarzai's innings of 56 off 71 balls showcased the lackluster performance of the rest of the Afghan batting lineup against Bangladesh's accurate bowling attack.
The collapse of Afghanistan's batting order began early, as Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmat Shah fell to Shoriful Islam in quick succession. Taskin Ahmed removed the dangerous Rahmanullah Gurbaz, and Shoriful dismissed Mohammad Nabi, leading to Bangladesh's remarkable feat of taking the first four wickets with just 15 runs on the board.
Shakib Al Hasan further disrupted Afghanistan's innings by dismissing Najibullah Zadran, while Taijul Islam claimed the wicket of Hashmatullah Shahidi. With Afghanistan reeling at 53 for 6, their innings lost momentum, and Shoriful completed his four-wicket haul by dismissing Abdul Rahman.
Despite a valiant effort from Omarzai, Afghanistan's total of 126 proved insufficient. In Bangladesh's innings, Mohammad Naim fell early, but Litton Das and Shakib Al Hasan formed a crucial partnership of 61 runs for the third wicket. Shakib's aggressive knock and Litton's steady presence ensured a comfortable victory for the hosts. Towhid Hridoy remained unbeaten on 23 as he completed the chase alongside Litton Das.
Bangladesh's resilient performance in this match, following two previous defeats, showcases their determination and skill. With Shoriful Islam's exceptional spell and a composed batting display, Bangladesh claimed a well-deserved consolation win. The team's bounce-back performance provides a positive outlook for the remainder of the series against Afghanistan.