Dhaka, Sept 20 (UNB) — Hamilton Masakadza’s star performance with the bat in his last international appearance helped Zimbabwe beat high-flying Afghanistan by seven wickets on Friday.

The match of the ongoing Tri-series T20 was played at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram. 

With this win, Zimbabwe beat Afghanistan in the shortest form of international cricket for the first time. In the previous eight games, Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe. 

At the same time, this defeat also ended Afghanistan’s run of most consecutive wins in T20Is. They won 12 of their previous T20Is, which is the world record for winning most T20Is consecutively.

This match will be remembered as the last international game of Masakadza, who started playing for Zimbabwe back in 2001. Masakadza tried his best to make the occasion memorable by hitting his last fifty in international cricket. 

Afghanistan won the toss and opted to bat first. They put up 155 runs on the board for eight wickets in 20 overs. In reply, Zimbabwe ended on 156 for three in 19.3 overs and sealed the game by seven wickets. 

Zimbabwe had a decent first-wicket stand as Brendan Taylor and Masakdza added 40 runs in 4.6 overs. In the second wicket, Masakadza and Regis Chakabva posted 70 runs and this partnership brought Zimbabwe close to winning the game. 

But Masakadza fell for 71 and Chakabva followed him scoring 39. Sean Williams, the next captain of Zimbabwe, scored an unbeaten 21. 

For Afghanistan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman bagged two wickets while Dawlat Zadran took one. 

Earlier, Wicketkeeper-batsman Rahmanullah Gurbaz hit his maiden T20Is fifty as Afghanistan posted 155. Afghans added 83 runs in the first wicket stand. Hazratullah Zazai, who has been struggling in the series, fell as the first man scoring 31 off 24.

Afghanistan continued losing wickets. They lost eight wickets while scoring the last 68 runs.

Rahmanullah was the best among the Afghan batsmen. He ended up scoring 61 off 47 with four fours and as many sixes. For Zimbabwe, pace bowler Chris Mpofu bagged four wickets conceding 30 runs, which is now his best bowling figure in T20 Internationals. 

Tinotenda Mutombodzi took two wickets. 

Zimbabwe are already out of the race for the final, which will be played on September 24 between Afghanistan and hosts Bangladesh at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

Afghanistan will face Bangladesh on Saturday while Zimbabwe will come back to Dhaka before leaving Bangladesh. 

Dhaka, Sept 29 (UNB) — Bangladesh are seeking a win against Afghanistan on Saturday at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram before heading into the final of the ongoing T20 tournament.

Bangladesh won their first match against Zimbabwe in the series but lost the next game to Afghanistan.

The final will take place at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka.

Before coming to this match, Bangladesh and Afghanistan faced each other in five T20Is. After the loss in the first league-phase game against Afghanistan, Shakib Al Hasan said the Afghans are a bigger team in T20Is than Bangladesh.

“We are placed at number 10 in the ICC T20 Teams Ranking while the Afghans are at number seven. They beat us in Dehradun and now in Bangladesh as well,” Shakib had said.

Bangladeshi batsmen had trouble playing Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman. While Rashid has been denting Bangladesh with his leg-spinning ability, Mujeeb became a new threat with his right-arm off-spin. 

Bangladesh inducted a leg-spinner - Aminul Islam Biplob - in the previous game against Zimbabwe. But he might not be able to play Saturday as he sustained a blow on his left hand and had to get three stitches. 

Bangladesh’s probable XI against Afghanistan: Najmul Hossain Shanto, Liton Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Afif Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Mosaddek Hossain Saikat, Mohammad Saifuddin, Shafiul Islam and Mustafizur Rahman.

Dhaka, Sep 20 (UNB) - Bangladesh beat Bhutan by 3-0 goals in their second group match of the ongoing AFC U-16 Championship’2020 Qualifiers at Aspire Dome Indoor Stadium in Doha on Friday.

Bangladeshi boys started their domination from the opening minute of the game but they bagged its result as Siful Islam Saeed opened account for his side in the 45th minute (1-0).

In the 2nd half, Bangladesh doubled the margin while Bhutanese midfielder Kelzang Jigme buried the ball to his own net (2-0) in the 50th minute. 

Just after 2 minutes, Moniul Islam Moin sealed the win scoring 3rd goal for Bangladesh in the 52nd minute.

Bangladesh, which was put in Group E of the AFC junior meet along with Qatar, Yemen and Bhutan, will play Yemen in their remaining match on Sunday (Sept 22) at 7 pm (BdST) at the same venue.

Earlier, Bangladesh started their campaign conceding a 0-2 goal defeat against hosts Qatar in their first match Thursday night in Doha.

After the barren first half, forwards Rashid Abdulaziz Al-Abdulla and Abdulrahman Al-Dosari scored one goal each for the hosts in the 58th and 89th minutes respectively.

A 31-member Bangladesh U-16 Football Team consisting of 23 booters and 8 officials reached Qatar capital Doha Monday evening to participate in the AFC junior meet.

Dhaka, Sept 20 (UNB) — Wicketkeeper-batsman Rahmanullah Gurbaz hit his maiden T20Is fifty as Afghanistan posted 155 for eight in 20 overs against Zimbabwe on Friday at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram.

Afghanistan won the toss and opted to bat first. They added 83 runs in the first wicket stand which is now the highest first-wicket partnership in the series so far. 

Hazratullah Zazai, who has been struggling in the series, fell as the first man scoring 31 off 24.

After the tremendous first-wicket stand, Afghanistan continued losing wickets. They lost eight wickets while scoring the last 68 runs.

Rahmanullah was the best among the Afghan batsmen today. He ended up scoring 61 off 47 with four fours and as many sixes. 

For Zimbabwe, pace bowler Chris Mpofu bagged four wickets conceding 30 runs, which is now his best bowling figure in T20 Internationals. 

Tinotenda Mutombodzi took two wickets. 

Zimbabwe are already out of the race for the final, which will be played on September 24 between Afghanistan and hosts Bangladesh at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. 

Dhaka, Sept 20 (UNB) - Ruman Shana clinched gold in the men’s recurve singles of the Modhumoti Bank Bangladesh Cup Archery (Stage-3) at the Shaheed Ahsanullah Master Stadium in Tongi on Friday.

Shana, a player of Bangladesh Ansar and VDP, beat Shakib Mollah of Tirondaz Sangsad by 6-2 set points in the final.

In the day’s other matches, Mohammad Hakim Rubel of BKSP bagged bronze beating Pradipta Chakma of BKSP by 7-3 set points at the same venue.

In the women’s recurve singles, Mehnaz Aktar Monira of Dhaka Army Archery Club bagged gold beating Eti Khatun of Tirondaz Sangsad by 6-4 set points in the final while Nasrin Aktar of Dhaka Army Archery Club bagged bronze.

In the men’s compound singles, Siam Siddiqui of Tirondaz Sangsad bagged gold beating Md Javed Alam of Dhaka Army Archery Club by 146-142 scores in the final and Ashim Kumar Das of Tirondaz Sangsad claimed bronze beating Abul Kashem Mamun of Bangladesh Ansar by 146-143 scores.

In the women’s compound singles, Susmita Bonik of Dhaka Army Archery Club bagged gold beating Bonna Aktar of Bangladesh Ansar by 143-141 scores in the final and Ritu Aktar of Tirondaz Sangsad claimed bronze beating Suma Bishwas of Bangladesh Ansar by 139-132 scores.

BKSP won gold medals in the men’s recurve team and women’s recurve team while Dhaka Army Archery Club won gold in the recurve mixed team.

Bangladesh Ansar won gold medals in the women’s compound team and mixed compound team while Dhaka Army Archery Club bagged gold in the men’s compound team.

Dhaka Army Archery Club bagged 9 medals including 4 gold, 4 silver, 1 bronze while Bangladesh Ansar won seven medals including 3 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze and BKSP bagged 5 medals including 2 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze.

Managing Director and CEO of Modhumoti Bank Shafiul Azam distributed prizes among the winners as chief guest.