A better show from Tigers?

It may have been an indicator of how much, or how little, skipper Shakib Al Hasan's heart was in the third and final T20I that for the second match in a row, he could not name the changes made to the team during the squad. Bangladesh have already surrendered the series through 45-run and six-wicket losses in the first two matches, and although the bowling was creditable yesterday at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Dehradun, Afghanistan's first-innings score of 145 for six hints at an impending whitewash as the Tigers' highest score in the series has been 134 for eight.

It could have been worse, but Shakib and Nazmul Islam gave away just 10 runs in the last two overs, managing to keep the big-hitting SamiullahShenwari in check and taking the wickets of NajibullahZadran and Shafiqullah. Afghanistan were kept to 36 in the last four, a vast improvement from the first two matches.

Bangladesh made three changes in their effort to avoid a series whitewash. Misfiring batsmen Sabbir Rahman, Mosaddek Hossain and pacer Rubel Hossain made way for rookie all-rounder ArifulHaque, off-spinner Mehedi Hasan Miraz and pacer Abu Jayed.

The changes had mixed results. Miraz was taken for 18 runs in the very first over of the match after Afghanistan captainAsgharStanikzai chose to bat at the toss. The off-spinner bowled one more over in the innings, the 11th, and conceded nine runs. Jayed, meanwhile, gave a good account of himself with 27 for two from four overs. He took the important wickets of opener Usman Ghani for 19 and Mohammad Nabi, who broke Bangladeshi hearts on Tuesday by creaming Rubel for 20 to clinch the series, for three.

But it was the tale of Afghanistan's strong points continuing and Bangladesh's death bowling performing a little better than in the first two matches. Once again openers Mohammad Shahzad and Ghani put on a solid base of 55 in 7.4 overs before the former was unluckily adjudged leg-before when a Nazmul Islam -- who had excellent figures of 18 for two from four overs -- delivery hit him flush on the gloves instead of the pad in the eighth over. Ghani was caught behind in the next over and skipper Stanikzai carried the score to 95 in the 13th over before being caught off Ariful. Nabi departed next and it was left to Shenwari once again to provide the late fireworks.

SCORES IN BRIEF

AFGHANISTAN: 145 for 6 in 20 overs (Shahzad 26, Usman 19, Asghar 27, Samiullah 33 not out; Nazmul 2-18, Jayed 2-27)