AFG VS BAN 3RD ODI

Right then, that is it from this game and the series as well. Afghanistan have defeated Bangladesh 2-1 maintaining their excellent form in ODIs. Hashmatullah Shahidi, the skipper steps up to receive the trophy. He then joins his teammates to lift it together and pose for some photographs. It is another feather in the cap of this Afghanistan team who are making big strides in world cricket. Next up for the Afghans is a three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe. The first game will be played on 9th December at 11 am GMT. For Bangladesh, they go to the Caribbean to take on West Indies in a two-match Test series. The first Test is scheduled to begin on 22nd November at 2 pm GMT. But as you know, you can always join us early for all the build-up to every game. Until then, cheers and goodbye!

Hashmatullah Shahidi, the victorious skipper of Afghanistan says that he is very happy with the performance and proud of his team. Adds that they were a bit disappointed losing the toss as chasing can be difficult on this wicket. Mentions that Rahmanullah Gurbaz is a match-winner and whenever he does well, the team wins. He hopes that he continues this form into the next series and in the Champions Trophy as well. Says that if you see their games, in each match, a new guy is stepping up for them which is a great sign. Ends by saying that they have Zimbabwe next and they want to win that and take the momentum into the Champions Trophy.

Mehidy Hasan, the captain of Bangladesh says that It was a tough job but the boys did well. Adds that Mahmudullah was excellent with the bat and he is disappointed that they could not win the game. Adds that he chose to bat first because it was tough to chase in the first two games where the ball was gripping. Mentions that they did not bowl well in the middle overs and were not able to pick up wickets or else things could have been different. Concludes that he has played in Sharjah after a very long time and it is tough for everyone to adapt to the situation of the ground and pitch.

Mohammad Nabi is the PLAYER OF THE SERIES for his 129 runs and 2 wickets across the three games. He says that he had in his mind since the last ODI World Cup about retirement but then they qualified for the Champions Trophy and he wants to play in that. Adds that it is small contributions from him and he always talks with the youngsters. Mentions that he chats with AM Ghazanfar and Nangeyalia Kharote about how to bowl in different situations. Says that in the last series, he did not play well, so he worked hard for this one. Ends by saying that he told Azmatullah Omarzai to play straight and wait for the bad balls.

Azmatullah Omarzai is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his incredible all-round performance. He says that he wants to thank his captain and he was positive in batting and that's why was able to apply himself better in the middle. Adds that having Rahmanullah Gurbaz gave him a lot of confidence and it was a great partnership. Mentions that while bowling he used the change of pace to fox up the batters of Bangladesh, and it was the first time for him bowling at death. Concludes that it is his first Man of the Match award and he is very happy.

Presentation Time...

Earlier in the game, Bangladesh set a strong total on the board. The openers got off to a solid start, but a sudden collapse saw them slip from 53/0 to 72/4. However, Mehidy Hasan and Mahmudullah joined forces to stabilize the innings, putting together a record 145-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Mehidy played a steady knock of 66, while Mahmudullah impressed with a superb 98, narrowly missing his century. Azmatullah Omarzai stood out among the Afghan bowlers, claiming four wickets, with Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan adding one each to the tally.

On the flip side, Bangladesh had a strong start with Nahid Rana's electrifying new-ball spell, delivering the first breakthrough with his raw pace. Fizz followed suit, striking twice and piling pressure back on the Afghans. But after that promising start, they let Afghanistan find their footing again, missing key chances - a dropped catch and a missed stumping on Gurbaz that proved costly as he went on to score a hundred. Mehidy Hasan finally dismissed Gurbaz, and from there, Bangladesh tightened up, making every run hard-earned for the batters. Rana added another to his tally capping off a good debut. However, with the batters set and the ball getting a bit wet, they could not contain the runs and despite their fight, they ended up on the losing side.

However, as the saying goes 'When the going gets tough, the tough gets going'. That is exactly what happened in this game. Mohammad Nabi with all his experience came to the crease and brought a sense of calmness. He took his time initially but picked his moments perfectly to accelerate and put the pressure back on Bangladesh. He played a quick-fire knock of 34 off 27 while it was Azmatullah Omarzai who was the hero with the ball earlier in the game, became the hero with the bat as well fittingly hitting the winning runs as well staying unbeaten on 70 runs.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz reached a half-century, and his previous record against Bangladesh - where he converted fifties into hundreds- sparked confidence within the team. Azmatullah Omarzai timed his acceleration perfectly, ensuring they stayed on top of the required rate with regular boundaries. Gurbaz powered on to a fantastic century but was soon dismissed ending the 100-run stand, offering Bangladesh a glimmer of hope. The pressure then fell squarely on Omarzai, who also reached his fifty, but as the game progressed, scoring became increasingly difficult.

Afghanistan started off well, scoring at a brisk pace, though the openers faced a real test against Nahid Rana's raw pace. Rahmanullah Gurbaz managed to weather the storm, but Atal couldn't hold on and was dismissed within the Powerplay. Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi struggled to contribute much and soon followed him back to the pavilion. With batting conditions steadily toughening in the second innings, Afghanistan needed a strong anchor. Gurbaz finally found his form in this series, and with crucial support from Azmatullah Omarzai at the other end, they navigated the middle overs confidently.

AFGHANISTAN CLINCH A MEMORABLE SERIES WIN! After taking down Ireland and South Africa, the Afghans have defeated Bangladesh as well to register their third consecutive ODI series victory. Sharjah is a fortress for them and this win shows their resilience and determination and that they are a rising force in world cricket, especially in limited-overs cricket. Mohammad Nabi has announced that he will be retiring from ODIs after the Champions Trophy 2025, and if this is his last game at Sharjah, it surely will be one to remember for a long, long time.

SIX! Finishes it off in style! On middle. Length. He lofts it over mid on. Goes all the way. They take the game and the series. AFGHANISTAN WIN BY 5 WICKETS!

On middle. Nabi swings. He gets an inside edge onto the off side. A run taken.

Badk of a length. Defended.

Around off. This is pushed to cover. A biggie needed.

FOUR MORE! Just the 7 needed! Shorter and on middle. This is pulled through square leg. In the gap and it races away.