Bangladesh had already lost the series beforehand. That’s why Bilal Sami’s place in the playing XI was uncertain. Yet it was that very uncertain bowler who dismantled Bangladesh’s batting lineup. Alongside him was the experienced spinner Rashid Khan. With their destructive bowling, the Tigers couldn’t even cross 100 runs. As a result, Bangladesh ended the series with a humiliating defeat to Afghanistan, confirming a complete whitewash.
At Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Afghanistan defeated Bangladesh by a massive margin of 200 runs in the third and final ODI of the series. This is one of Bangladesh’s biggest defeats on foreign soil. Batting first, Afghanistan scored 293 runs for 9 wickets in the allotted 50 overs. In reply, Bangladesh were bowled out for just 93 runs in 27.1 overs.
Chasing the target, the batters’ performance was utterly disappointing. Except for opener Saif Hassan, no one could stand up to the Afghan bowlers. Saif, who scored 43 off 54 balls, was the only batter to reach double digits. Despite an opening partnership of 35 runs, Naim Sheikh was dismissed for 7 off 24 balls. After that, Shanto, Hridoy, Miraz, and Shamim all returned to the pavilion one after another.
For Afghanistan, Bilal Sami took 5 wickets for 33 runs, while Rashid Khan claimed 3 wickets. Under their onslaught, Bangladesh’s innings crumbled one by one.
Earlier, after winning the toss and batting first, Afghan openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran gave the team a fantastic start. After putting on a 99-run partnership, Gurbaz was dismissed for 42. However, Zadran played an innings of 95 runs off 111 balls. Coming in at the end, experienced all-rounder Mohammad Nabi launched an assault. In his 62-run innings off 37 balls, he struck 5 sixes and 4 fours, which ultimately determined the course of the match.
In the end, Afghanistan secured a 3–0 whitewash in the series with a 200-run victory. On the other hand, throughout the entire series, Bangladesh paid the price for a lack of confidence, instability, and irresponsible shot selection.
