Asia Cup 2018, Afghanistan vs Bangladesh: 3 things you might have missed in Bangladesh's innings

An all-round performance from birthday boy Rashid Khan meant that Afghanistan made it two wins in two in the group stage of Asia Cup 2018. After winning the toss, the Afghanistan skipper didn't hesitate to bat first and once the batsmen set the ideal platform, the bowlers came in and finished the job as Afghanistan beat Bangladesh by 136 runs at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

After electing to bat first, Afghanistan didn't get off to an ideal start but Mohammad Shahzad ensured that there was no early collapse. Although he fell for 37 and Hashmatullah Shahidi scored a brilliant fifty, it was Afghanistan's lower order that did the damage with the bat. While Rashid Khan, who came in at No.9 scored an unbeaten 32-ball 57 and put on an unbeaten 95-run partnership along with Gulbadin Naib, who hit 42* to help them post 255/7 in their 50 overs.

Shakib Al Hasan was the star with the ball for Bangladesh as he finished with figures of 10-1-42-4 and it was the all-rounder who top-scored with the bat as well. His 32 was the highest score by a Bangladesh batsman in the innings as the rest of them crumbled and they were bowled out for 119.

Extra cover: 3 things you might have missed in Afghanistan's innings

Here are 3 things you might have missed in Bangladesh's innings:

Single digits dominate the scorecard

Chasing 256 for victory, Bangladesh needed a good start, if they were to have any chance of coming out on top. But they didn't get that as both openers were back in the pavilion inside the first five overs. They fell in the space of eight balls and Bangladesh were never really in it after that.

But to make matters even worse, no one even got going for Mortaza's side. In fact, only three batsmen even got into double digits. Shakib top-scored with 32, having done his part with the ball as well. Aside from Mahmudullah and Mosaddek Hossain, who scored 27 and 26*, no other Bangladesh batsman scored more than 9.

In the top five, only one (Shakib) got in double digits and therein was the problem for Bangladesh.

Afghanistan's brilliant review

Once both openers were dismissed inside the first five overs, Bangladesh began to rebuild. They had Shakib and Mominul Haque to lead the recovery but the latter was dismissed courtesy of a brilliant review from Afghanistan that changed the complexion of the game.

The score was 39/2 in the 13th over when Gulbadin Naib was convinced that the batsman got a tickle when the umpire had given a wide down the leg side. The ball was angling down leg and would have been a wide if it wasn't for the healthy spike from the bat of Mominul before the keeper gobbled up the ball.

Ultra-edge showed a spike and the decision was overturned and Afghanistan got their third wicket and Bangladesh never really recovered after that.

Bangladesh's long wait for a boundary in the middle overs

At the start of the run chase, the required rate was just a tad above five. But after 20 overs, Bangladesh were struggling at 59/4 and the rate had climbed up to just over 6.5. That was when Mahmudullah hit a boundary off the first ball of the 21st over bowled by Samiullah Shenwari.

With Shakib and Mahmudullah at the crease, it looked like Bangladesh might have a chance but after that, they had to wait for 67 balls before the next boundary arrived. The rate had climbed up to over 8.5 and by the time it came, both Shakib and Mahmudullah were back in the pavilion and any hopes of a win had quickly evaporated.