'Couldn't keep up the pressure'

Despite their status as the newest Test team in world cricket, it was not completely surprising that Afghanistan romped to a 45-run win in the first T20I against Bangladesh, who reached the top tier 17 years before their war-torn neighbours. After all, Afghanistan are ranked eighth in the ICC T20I table -- two places above their opposition in the ongoing three-match T20I series in Dehradun.

It was surprising however how completely clueless the Tigers seemed while leaking 76 runs in the last six overs and then being bundled out for 122 in chase of Afghanistan's 167 for eight at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium yesterday.

Perhaps the clearest sign of their cluelessness was vice-captain Mahmudullah Riyad's figures of one over, one run and two wickets. Bangladesh had pulled things back in the middle overs, but after Mahmudullah's over left Afghanistan at 91 for four after 14 overs, he was not called upon to bowl again by skipper Shakib Al Hasan. Instead, rookies Abul Hasan and Abu Jayed haemorrhaged runs in the end.

"It was the captain's decision," said opener Liton Das, whose 20-ball 30 was the highest score in a sordid chase from Bangladesh. "We had tightened things up in the middle, we bowled well then but we unfortunately could not keep up the pressure."

The rest was not as unexpected. The world's best T20I bowler, Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan, ran through the middle order, justifying the pre-series hype surrounding him. In the process, he became the joint second-fastest to 50 T20I wickets.

"There was no such pressure," said Liton about facing Rashid. "He is a good bowler who bowled well, and we didn't want to give him wickets, but it would also not do to get bogged down because the asking rate was high.

"The seniors could not perform as well as we would have liked. The wicket was slow, and there was also a lot of run pressure. Early wickets also cost us," he added, referring to the two early wickets of Shakib and Tamim Iqbal, who was out to the first ball of the innings.

The man of the hour, Rashid, was happy with his and his side's performance. "I knew that I was on the brink of fifty, but didn't know about being second-fastest. It will spur me on more. The team did well in all three departments, which made things easy."

The second T20I between the sides will be held at the same venue tomorrow.

SCORES IN BRIEF
Afghanistan: 167 for 8 (Shahzad 40, Shenwari 36, Usman 26, Stanikzai 25; Hasan 2-40, Mahmudullah 2-1)
BANGLADESH: 122 all out in 19 overs (Liton 30, Mahmudullah 29; Rashid 3-13, Shapoor 3-40)
Result: Afghanistan won by 45 runs