ICC World Twenty20: Bangladesh thrash Afghanistan by nine wickets in tournament opener
Afghanistan's meagre total of 72 was the second lowest in the World T20 competitions, barely surpassing Ireland's 68 against the West Indies in 2010. Led by Anamul Haque (44 off 33 balls), Bangladesh chased down the target in just 12 overs.
- Agence France-Presse
- Updated: March 16, 2014 05:57 PM IST
Â
Hosts Bangladesh made an impressive start in the World Twenty20 with a nine-wicket demolition of Afghanistan in the tournament opener in Dhaka on Sunday. (Scorecard|Highlights)
Left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan grabbed three wickets for eight runs as Afghanistan, sent in to bat, were skittled for 72 in 17.1 overs at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium.
The meagre total was the second lowest in the World T20 competitions, barely surpassing Ireland's 68 against the West Indies in 2010.
A sell-out home crowd of 25,000 then cheered every run as Bangladesh raced home in 12 overs, with opener Anamul Haque sealing the emphatic win with a six off Samiullah Shenwari.
Haque, who put on 45 for the first wicket with Tamim Iqbal, was unbeaten on a 33-ball 44 that was studded with three sixes and four boundaries.
With just one team going into the Super-10 stage from the preliminary group A that also has debutants Hong Kong and Nepal, the defeat left Afghanistan facing an early exit.
The Afghans had beaten Bangladesh in the preceding Asia Cup one-day tournament, but faltered badly on Sunday to reduce a much-anticipated contest to a one-sided affair.
Six qualifiers -- Ireland, Afghanistan, Nepal, Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates and the Netherlands -- joined Zimbabwe and Bangladesh in the preliminary league of two groups.
The two group winners will then contest the Super-10 round with the top eight Test nations -- Australia, Pakistan, South Africa, England, New Zealand, India, Sri Lanka and the West Indies -- from March 21.
The final is on April 6 in Dhaka.
Brief scores:
Afghanistan 72 all out in 17.1 overs (Gulbadin Naib 21, Shakib Al Hasan 3-8, Abdur Razzak 2-20)
Bangladesh 78-1 in 12 overs (Tamim Iqbal 21, Anamul Haque 44 not out)
Bangladesh won by nine wickets.
Â
Â
Â