Shoriful and Co keep Afghanistan to 147 in second T20I

Bangladesh bowlers kept a tight leash on the batters to keep Afghanistan to 147 for 5 after the Afghan openers put on a solid powerplay effort in the second T20I.

Bangladesh will seal the three-match T20I 2-0 if they win the second T20I on Friday, having won the first T20I at Sharjah by four wickets.

Afghanistan started the Powerplay trying not to force the issue as Sediqullah Atal and Ibrahim Zadran strung together a 55-run stand. Acceleration only started from the last over of the Powerplay against Mustafizur Rahman before Atal hit back-to-back sixes off Rishad Hossain to boost run-scoring in the eighth over. However Atal went for another big hit off the very next delivery and was holed out at long-on off Rishad after 23, unable to hit it straight as he had done in the previous two deliveries.

Zadran had a reprieve when Saif Hassan dropped him off Mustafizur in the final delivery of the Powerplay. Having looked relatively solid, he went after Nasum but found the fielder at long on to depart for 38 in the 11th over.

Rishad got his second scalp when he floated one up to Wafiullah Tarakhil, who was holed out at long-on next over after scoring 1.

Nasum finished off his four overs with the wicket of Darwish Rasooli, finishing with two for 25 in four overs.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz however was still at the crease and looked increasingly dangerous as he picked Rishad off for two sixes in the 15th over. 

Shoriful, who bowled his first three overs for just eight runs, finally got the reward for his tight spells, removing Gurbaz for 30 off 22, with a brilliant yorker. Shoriful had got the ball to mover around early and then settled into a good mix of slowers and length deliveries to keep the batters quiet and finished with 1 for 13 in his four overs. Saifuddin in his first game this series also remained effective, bowling the penultimate over and conceding 22 runs in four overs.

Mohammad Nabi's 12- ball 20 and Azmatullah Omarzai's 19 saw Afghanistan reach 147 for 5. Mustafizur Rahman remained wicketless and conceded 40 in his four. RIshad finished with 45 for 2 in his four.