Bangladesh let Afghanistan fly

Afghanistan's batting inexperience seemed to be saving the day for the tourists in the first T20I against Bangladesh in Dehradun yesterday, but by the end of the first innings it seemed that it was Bangladesh -- by far the more senior side in terms of years played at the highest level -- who were floundering as they conceded a whopping 76 runs in the last six overs to help Afghanistan to 167 for eight.

The first innings reflected their respective rankings, with Bangladesh two spots below Afghanistan in 10th place in the ICC T20I rankings.

Bangladesh's confusion was evident from the start, when they decided to include pacer Abul Hasan in the playing XI. They had the option to go for the all-round stylings of Ariful Haque, who bowls medium pace and is known as a lower order hitter, but Abul's inclusion ended up costing them 40 runs in three overs, although it did net them two wickets against the run of play.

Personnel decisions aside, the bowling plan for Bangladesh was all over the place. Rookie pacer Abu Jayed was guilty of bowling on the leg side too often and was punished for 42 from his four overs, including an over where he was hit for two sixes and two fours by SamiullahShenwari.

But that was later in the piece, in the 18th over. Before that was the 62-run opening stand between Mohammad Shahzad and Usman Ghani that laid the foundation. After the pacers were punished, it was again the spinners that seemed to be rescuing Bangladesh.

Pacer Rubel Hossain started turning the tide by clean-bowling Ghani for 26 in the ninth over and then Shakib, after dropping Shahzad off his own bowling in the 12th over, got the portly opener caught at point off a reverse sweep for 40. Vice-captain and part-time off-spinner Mahmudullah Riyad then took two wickets in the 14th over -- having NajibullahZadran caught and bowling Mohammad Nabi -- to have Afghanistan on 91 for four.

Those wickets were down to Afghanistan's inexperience as much as Bangladesh's skill. And for a while that seemed to be the way it would go. But after that blip, Afghanistan showed their ferocious nature in the last six overs. Given that Bangladesh had managed just 145 in Friday's practice match against an Afghan XI, weaker than yesterday's opponents, and that they do not have the hard-hitting abilities of Ariful to call upon, that total may be a stretch too far.

SCORES IN BRIEF

Afghanistan: 167 for 8 in 20 overs (Shahzad 40, Usman 26, Stanikzai 25, Samiullah Shenwari 36, Shafiqullah 24; Hasan 2-40, Mahmudullah 2-1)