Slug: afghanistan-beat-bangladesh-odi-tri-series-final
Category: Cricket News
Focus keyphrase: Afghanistan vs Bangladesh
SEO title: Afghanistan vs Bangladesh: Afghans Storm Into Final
Meta description: Afghanistan beat Bangladesh by seven wickets in Sharjah to reach the ODI tri-series final against Zimbabwe, with Rahmat Shah hitting 67 not out.
Tags: Afghanistan cricket, Bangladesh cricket, ODI tri-series, Rashid Khan, Rahmat Shah, Sharjah, Zimbabwe
Original element: our own data point — Feature Pakistan covered Afghanistan’s 158-run demolition of Zimbabwe earlier in this tri-series, so readers get the full picture of how the final lineup was decided, with internal links.
Rahmat’s 67* Powers Afghanistan Past Bangladesh Into Tri-Series Final
SHARJAH: Afghanistan defeated Bangladesh by seven wickets on Wednesday to book their place in the final of the ODI tri-series, winning the Afghanistan vs Bangladesh contest with 87 balls to spare.
Chasing a modest target of 161 at the Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium, Afghanistan reached the mark in 35.3 overs after losing three wickets, setting up a final against Zimbabwe, Geo Super reported.
Captain Rahmat Shah led the chase with an unbeaten 67 off 90 deliveries, striking five boundaries. Hashmatullah Shahidi stayed with him to the end on 36 not out off 54 balls as the pair guided Afghanistan home after early setbacks.
Afghanistan vs Bangladesh: the chase
Afghanistan’s reply began shakily, but Rahmat and Shahidi steadied the innings with a calm, unbroken stand. Rahmat, leading the side, played the anchor role to perfection, rotating the strike and punishing loose deliveries, while Shahidi provided solid support at the other end.
The seven-wicket margin, with nearly 15 overs unused, underlined how comfortable the chase became once the two senior batters took control. Bangladesh’s bowlers had no answer once the partnership settled.
Rashid spins Bangladesh out
Earlier, Afghanistan’s bowlers had produced a disciplined performance to dismiss Bangladesh for 160 in 41.2 overs after the visitors elected to bat first.
Bangladesh suffered a disastrous start, losing four wickets for just 28 runs. Tanzid Hasan Tamim fell for one, Soumya Sarkar went for a duck, Najmul Hossain Shanto made 15 and captain Towhid Hridoy also departed without scoring.
Parvez Hossain Emon and Saif Hassan then steadied the innings with a crucial partnership. Emon top-scored with 70 off 96 deliveries, including five fours and two sixes, while Saif contributed 41 off 82 balls. But Afghanistan kept taking wickets at regular intervals and never let the lower order build on the recovery.
Leg-spinner Rashid Khan spearheaded the attack with four wickets for 31 runs in 8.2 overs. Yamin Ahmadzai and Azmatullah Omarzai claimed two wickets apiece, while Bilal Sami and Mohammad Nabi took one each.
What the result means
The win confirms Afghanistan as the form team of the tri-series. They had already crushed Zimbabwe by 158 runs earlier in the tournament, and this composed chase against Bangladesh shows a side peaking at the right time.
For Bangladesh, the defeat ends their interest in the series. Their batting collapsed against the new ball and never fully recovered, despite Emon’s fighting half-century. The 160 total was never likely to test Afghanistan on a true Sharjah surface.
The final against Zimbabwe now looms as the tournament’s decisive game. Afghanistan will start as favourites given their two commanding wins, but Zimbabwe have shown they can compete in these conditions. The two sides already know each other well from the earlier group meeting, which adds an extra edge to the decider.
Afghanistan’s recent red-ball form against Bangladesh has been strong too — the sides drew their one-off Test in Abu Dhabi earlier this month after a fighting rearguard from the Afghan batters.
Frequently asked questions
Who won the Afghanistan vs Bangladesh ODI tri-series match?
Afghanistan won by seven wickets, chasing down Bangladesh’s 160 in 35.3 overs at Sharjah on October 21, 2026.
Who were the top performers?
Rahmat Shah’s unbeaten 67 led the chase for Afghanistan, while Rashid Khan took 4 for 31. For Bangladesh, Parvez Hossain Emon top-scored with 70.
Who will Afghanistan play in the tri-series final?
Zimbabwe, who qualified alongside Afghanistan for the tournament decider.
What was the score in brief?
Bangladesh 160 all out in 41.2 overs; Afghanistan 161 for 3 in 35.3 overs. Afghanistan won by seven wickets with 87 balls to spare.
