Disciplined Bangladesh attack limits Afghanistan to 147 in second T20I

Bangladesh bowlers kept things tight to hold Afghanistan to 147 for 5 after their openers had given them a steady start in the second T20I.

Victory on Friday would secure the three-match series 2-0 for Bangladesh, who won the first T20I in Sharjah by four wickets.

Sediqullah Atal and Ibrahim Zadran began cautiously in the Powerplay, putting on 55 runs. Acceleration came only in the final over of the Powerplay against Mustafizur Rahman, before Atal hit back-to-back sixes off Rishad Hossain in the eighth over. But he fell going for another big shot next ball, caught at long-on for 23.

Zadran was dropped by Saif Hassan off Mustafizur at the end of the Powerplay, but he could not make it count. He fell to Nasum Ahmed for 38 in the 11th over. Rishad struck again in the next over, removing Wafiullah Tarakhil for 1. Nasum later claimed Darwish Rasooli to finish with 2 for 25 from his four overs.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz tried to lift the innings, striking two sixes off Rishad in the 15th over. But Shoriful Islam, who had bowled with control throughout, dismissed him with a superb yorker for 30 off 22. Shoriful's variations kept the batters quiet as he finished with 1 for 13 in his four overs. Mohammad Saifuddin, playing his first match of the series, also impressed with 1 for 22, including a tidy penultimate over.

Mohammad Nabi's 12-ball 20 and Azmatullah Omarzai's 19 helped Afghanistan close on 147 for 5. Mustafizur Rahman went wicketless for 40 from his four overs, while Rishad ended with 2 for 45.