AFG VS BAN - Super Four, Match 4, Asia Cup 2018

The Bangladeshi fans are still celebrating. They can continue to do so until their side take on Pakistan on Wednesday. It is a virtual semifinal with the winner meeting India. Bangladesh have turned their campaign around. They started it with a win against Sri Lanka, then lost to Afghanistan and India, and today they are back to beating Afghanistan. They will be going into the next game with a lot of confidence. How will Pakistan feel after today's defeat? Well we will only find out on the 26th. Time to pull the plug here. Until next time, goodnight and take care!

Mahmudullah, Man of the Match: I think the weather was quite hot today. I am feeling dried up. We crossed the line and that is pleasing. We knew they got some big hitters and got a partnership in the middle, so good we came out on top. It is always a happy feeling to contribute to the team. We need to bring our A game to beat Pakistan. They are playing some good cricket and we need to be on top of our game to beat them.

Mashrafe Mortaza: At the end of the game Mustafizur was like a magician. It was difficult to defend 8 runs. Credit goes to Mustafizur. Not at all (that we felt like losing). Shakib bowled a good 49th over. But it was Mahmudullah and Kayes, playing his first game, set it up for us with the bat. Mustafizur was cramping a bit in the middle, we wanted him to bowl 10 overs but he couldn't. It is hot and a tough job. A win like this always gives confidence and the game against Pakistan is like a semifinal.

Harsha Bhogle: Agony for Afghanistan again. Winning close matches is part of the learning curve. Now, a knockout between Pakistan and Bangladesh looms

Asghar Afghan: Congrats to Bangladesh for this victory. We required 8 off 6 and it was not difficult specially when Naib, one of the main batsman in the death overs was batting. Mustafizur used his variations very well. We should have chased this total down. It was going according to our plan. In the last overs we had wickets in the hand. May be we should have taken singles or doubles in the last over. This wicket is easy to bat on and 250 runs is not difficult to chase here. We have learnt a lot while playing against full-member side.

The pressure was always on Afghanistan as they were chasing for the first time in the tournament. They did not get off to a good start - losing Ihsanullah Janat and Rahmat Shah early. Mohammad Shahzad played a weird innings, one where he looked comfortable and not. However, his partnership with Shahidi steadied the innings and set it up. There was another stand between Asghar Afghan and Shahidi that gave further hope, but when the asking rate touched 10 it started getting tough. Mortaza rotated his bowlers around smartly and though his strike bowlers - Shakib and Mustafizur didn't finish their quota, they were used in the right manner and right time.

23:35 Local Time, 19:35 GMT, 01:05 IST: Afghanistan, oh Afghanistan! They could not defend 10 off the final over two days back against Pakistan and today they fall short by three runs when needing 8 off the last over. Their glum faces says it all and what's more they are also knocked out of the Asia Cup. Entering the Super Four unbeaten and losing two close matches, imagine if they had won both the games. But as the cliche saying goes there are no ifs and buts in sport. It is Bangladesh who kept their nerve and their chances of reaching the final alive.

Mustafizur to Shenwari, no run, Bangladesh win by 3 runs. They are going crazy in the field and in the stands. Rahim started celebrating as soon as Shenwari missed the shot. His team mates join him and they get into a huddle. The Afghanistan dressing room is in disbelief. They have come second in another thriller. Coming to the ball: The Fizz shortens the length and angles it across the right-hander, Shenwari swings so hard that the bat goes flying out of his hand towards square leg and the ball ends up in Rahim's mitts

Yagnesh Doshi: "I am having palpitations with every passing ball. This match is way more interesting than Ind vs Pak !"

Mustafizur to Naib, leg byes, 1 run, tries to premeditate. The scoop does not come off. 4 off 1. Shuffled across and is met with another slower delivery, no contact made and the ball lobs away off the pad to short fine. Mortaza is fine to concede the single

Mustafizur to Naib, no run, dot. 5 off 2. This is classic Fizz. The off-cutter which lands on a length and grips away outside off, Naib swings and connects with thin air. Hard for a new batsman against Mustafizur

Mustafizur to Shenwari, leg byes, 1 run, Bangladesh are appealing for a catch. They are confident. But so is umpire Nitin Menon. He does not even consult with his partner. The length ball on leg-stump, Shenwari swivels and misses the heave to the on-side, off the thigh pad and straight to Mortaza at short fine

Gulbadin Naib, right handed bat, comes to the crease

Mustafizur to Rashid Khan, out Caught&Bowled!! This game ain't over. Rashid goes. The Fizz has his man. 6 off 4. Shortens the length and follows a backing away Rashid, cramped for room the leggie still goes for the pull shot, off the splice and straight back to the Fizz. He will not take an easier catch. The good thing is the batsmen switched ends. Shenwari is on strike.. Rashid Khan c and b Mustafizur 5(4)

Mustafizur to Rashid Khan, THATS OUT!! Caught&Bowled!!

Mustafizur to Rashid Khan, 2 runs, slower, full delivery outside off, Rashid drives it past the diving extra cover fielder and it is a comfortable brace as the sweeper had to run some distance to his right

The Fizz to defend 8 off the final over. Afghanistan could not defend 10 against Pakistan. But do they have it in them to chase 8 today? All eyes on Rashid who is on strike.

Sumit Harchandani: "Fizz will not complete his full quota of 10 overs and that is bad captaincy!"---- I guess, Mortaza miscalculated.

Shakib to Rashid Khan, 1 run, poor running. Full toss and Rashid chips it over cover. Always a second there and for some reason Shenwari does not want to go for it, Rashid is not happy with him. Will that cost them?

Shakib to Rashid Khan, 2 runs, adjusted nicely there. Stepped out and Shakib shortened the length guessing the batsman would do so, Rashid kept his composure and cut it through point, where Mortaza was waving to the sweeper to come to the ball, easy two

Shakib to Shenwari, 1 run, fraction short but the slider hardly bounces, Shenwari is winding up for the pull but the lack of bounce does him in, the top-edge balloons over Rahim and the duo settle with a single

Rashid Khan, right handed bat, comes to the crease

Shakib to Nabi, out Caught by Hossain Shanto!! Shakib celebrates. For a second everyone thought Nabi had struck it in the gap. But the fielder was excellently placed by Mortaza and Shakib. He was wide of long-off. Low dipping full toss outside off, Nabi makes a decent connection after coming down, lofted it flat and wide of the fielder, but Shanto made good ground and took a good catch diving to his left. Nabi c Hossain Shanto b Shakib 38(28) [4s-2 6s-2]