Bangladesh Keep Semi-Final Hopes Alive with Narrow Win Over Afghanistan
Bangladesh held their nerve to register a thrilling 8-run victory over Afghanistan in the 9th match of the Asia Cup 2025 at Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. The result lifted Bangladesh above Afghanistan in the points table, keeping their semi-final hopes alive.
In a must-win game, Bangladesh captain Litton Das won the toss and elected to bat first. The openers gave a solid start, adding 63 runs for the first wicket before Saif Hassan was dismissed for 30. Tanzid Hasan top-scored with a composed 52, while Towhid Hridoy added 26 runs. Despite losing momentum in the middle overs, Bangladesh managed to post a competitive 154/4 in their 20 overs. For Afghanistan, skipper Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad picked up two wickets each.
Chasing 155, Afghanistan faltered early, losing their top order within the first half of the innings. Although Rahmanullah Gurbaz (35), Azmatullah Omarzai (30), and Rashid Khan (20) kept the chase alive, regular wickets pegged them back. Eventually, Afghanistan were bowled out for 146 in their 20 overs, falling short by just 8 runs. Mustafizur Rahman was the star with the ball for Bangladesh, claiming three wickets.
The victory puts Bangladesh ahead of Afghanistan in the race for the semi-finals. The final spot from the group will now be decided in the upcoming clash between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.
