BAN Vs AFG, ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, Match 3: Bangladesh Beat Clueless Afghanistan By Six Wickets - As It Happened

New Zealand thrashed holders England in a seemingly empty Ahmedabad cauldron and Pakistani talents proved too good for 'Associate' players from the Netherlands on a tricky Hyderabad strip. Bangladesh registered an easy 6-wicket win against Afghanistan in Match 3 of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 played at HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala. After winning the toss Bangladesh decided to bowl first and made that decision right after finishing Afghanistan's innings for 156. Shakib al Hasan and Mehidy Hasan Miraz took 3 wickets each in the match. Then Bangladesh chased down the easy target in the 35th over guided by Shanto and Mehidy's fifties. Catch BAN vs AFG match highlights from here (Scorecard | Match Report | Full Coverage)

That's all from our side!

Mehidy Hasan Miraz is the player of the match!

Bangladesh won by 6 wickets!

4:10 pm: Bangladesh wins the match by 6 wickets, Shanto hits the winning runs
Bangladesh registers an easy 6-wicket win guided by Shanto's unbeaten 59 and Mehidy's crucial 57(73). Shakib al Hasan came to bat but got out after scoring 14(19). Nevertheless, Shanto scores the winning runs as Bangladesh wins this match by 6 wickets.

BAN - 158/4 (34.4)

3:28 pm: Shanto and Mehidy doing it for Bangladesh
Bangladesh is near to registering a big win to start their World Cup 2023 campaign. Shanto and Miraz are making no haste to reach the target. Afghanistan bowlers are trying everything but there are not enough runs on the board. Bangladesh needs 54 runs now.

BAN - 103/2 (23)

2:51 pm: Bangladesh nearing the target
Mehidy Hasan Miraz 26*(26) and Najmul Hossain Shanto 11*(18) are making a partnership after the dismissal of both the openers. Bangladesh still needs 92 runs.

BAN - 65/2 (13)

2:10 pm: Bangladesh starts the chase!!
Tanzid Hasan and Litton Das starts the run-chase for Bangladesh. Fazalhaq Farooqi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman from both the ends for bowling side. Bangladesh is making runs with ease.

BAN - 19/0 (4)

Innings Break!!

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Target Set For Bangladesh - 157 runs in 300 balls

Recap: 
Bangladesh won the toss and decided to bowl first. Afghanistan's top order played well and was going smoothly at one time but after Hashmatullah Shahidi's wicket, Rahmanullah Gurbaz followed him and after that, no other batter looked confident at the crease except Azmatullah Omarzai who made 22(20). Shakib al Hasan and Mehidy Hasan Miraz took 3 wickets each and the rest of the Bangladesh bowlers also performed supporting roles. Bangladesh now needs 157 runs to win their World Cup 2023 opener in 50 overs quota. 

1:24 pm: Afghanistan's batting order collapsed
From 112/2 at one time, Afghanistan's batting collapsed to post a 156-run total on the board after 37 overs. No batter from the lower order crossed double-digit figures except Azmatullah Omarzai who made 22(20). Bangladesh bowled really well and did not give any chances to Afghanistan to recover.

AFG - 156/10 (37.2)

12:15 pm: AFG Consolidate
It has been a somewhat sedate but steady first half in the Afghanistan innings. They have notched up 106 runs for the loss of two wickets in 23 overs. Rahmat Shah was the second man to be dismissed, again by Bangladesh skipper Shakib. He too went for the big shot and ended up skieing it to silly mid-off. 

11:20 am: Sound Start For AFG
Afghanistan have started their innings well. They put 50 runs on the board in the first 10 overs and lost the wicket of Zadran in the bargain. The openers provided a 47-run opening stand before Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan made the inroad with a flighted delivery that induced Zadran's top-edged sweep, which went down deep square leg's throat.  

10:30 am: Match Begins
Taskin Ahmed with the new ball for Bangladesh, and Afghanistan wicket-keeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz on strike with Ibrahim Zadran alongside him. Two slips in place for Taskin, who starts with a length delivery in the channel outside off stump. Gurbaz lets it go.  

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10:15 am: Afghanistan @Asiad
Elsewhere, in Hangzhou, a second-string but young and talented Afghanistan men's cricket team will take on India for the Asian Games gold medal. Follow our live coverage of the match here. 

10:08 am: Line-Ups
Afghanistan XI: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi
Bangladesh XI: Litton Das, Tanzid Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Shakib Al Hasan (C), Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman

10:04 am: Toss Update
Bangladesh have won the toss and opted to bowl first.

9:35 am: Head-to-head
The two teams have met only twice in the ODI World Cup with Bangladesh winning both matches -- by 105 runs in 2015 (Canberra) and by 62 runs in 2019 (Southampton).

Overall, this will be their 16th meeting in the 50-overs format. Bangladesh have a slight advantage in the head-to-head record, 9-6. But in the last five meetings, Afghanis have a 3-2 lead over their rivals. Last month, Bangladesh beat Afghanistan by 89 runs in Lahore.

9:15 am: Conditions
Morning in high altitudes means some chill and thrill, especially for the pacers. And numbers also back this claim -- 36 wickets in four ODI matches played here, as against 17 for spinners.

9:05 am: Squads
Bangladesh: Tanzid Hasan, Litton Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Shakib Al Hasan (c), Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mahmudullah, Towhid Hridoy, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mahedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Nasum Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib.
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Azmatullah Omarzai, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Noor Ahmad, Riaz Hassan, Abdul Rahman, Ikram Alikhil.