Debutant Jaker Ali鈥檚 late blitz lifted Bangladesh to 252 in the second ODI against Afghanistan at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Saturday.聽
The Tigers had to win the match to keep the series alive after losing the first ODI by 92 runs.聽
After Najmul Hossain Shanto鈥檚 gritty innings of 76 off 119 on an used surface, Jaker, the wicketkeeper-batter struck 37 off 27 with one four and three sixes to add 68 runs for the seventh and eighth wicket partnership with Nasum Ahmed and Taskin Ahmed, respectively.
Nasum, playing his first ODI since last year鈥檚 World Cup, scored 25 off 24.聽
Opting to bat first, opener Tanzid Hasan made a brisk start, scoring 22 off 17 with three fours and one six. But he perished off Allah Ghazanfar, the mystery spinner who demolished Bangladesh in the first match by taking six wickets.聽
Captain Shanto then held the Bangladesh innings together, being cautious against the sharp Afghan attack, and added two fifty-partnerships with Soumya Sarkar and Mehidy Hasan Miraz.聽
But both of Shanto鈥檚 partners threw their wickets away after making a solid start. Soumya was trapped lbw off Rashid Khan after making 35 off 49.
He could鈥檝e saved himself had he opted for a review, as the Hawkeye showed that the ball had pitched outside leg.聽
Mehidy was outfoxed by Rashid鈥檚 googly. The Afghan leg-spinner again made a great impact and gave away only 32 to take two wickets from his 10 overs.
He even went around the wicket to create an angle to trouble the batters.聽
The wicket of Mehidy triggered a mini-collapse and threatened Bangladesh鈥檚 innings to stumble as they lost four wickets for 32 runs.聽
Shanto, Towhid Hridoy (11), and Mahmudullah (3) all fell to left-arm spinner Nangeyalia Kharote.
Towhid went for a slog sweep but holed out. Shanto charged down the ground but only managed to get caught at wide long on, and then Mahmudullah failed to clear the long off.聽
Bangladesh tried to shift the gear; instead, the brake seemed to have failed at the beginning of the third power play.聽
But Jaker, with the great company of Nasum, managed to counter attack with a 46-run partnership.聽
Nasum became the second victim of Ghazanfar, but Jaker remained unbeaten. Bangladesh added 47 runs in the last five overs.聽
Jaker came to the side after Mushfiqur Rahim had been ruled out of the series with a finger injury. This was the first time since August 2006 that Bangladesh were playing without any of Mushfiq, Shakib Al Hasan, or Tamim Iqbal in the XI.聽
His three sixes are now the joint most for a debutant Bangladeshi batter after Sabbir Rahman.
Additionally, his strike rate of 137.03 is the second highest for a Bangladeshi player on debut when scoring at least 25 runs.
