Agencies
Before Monday evening, Rahmanullah Gurbaz averaged 16.73 in 20 innings in run chases in ODIs. But against Bangladesh in Sharjah, he hit 101 – his second century while batting second – with 42 of those runs coming in sixes alone. That took Afghanistan to victory in their pursuit of 245, and gave them their third successive series win.
It was also the first instance of a score getting successfully chased in this series, after totals of 235 and 252 were defended in the previous two games.
But it didn’t come all that smoothly for Afghanistan. When Gurbaz was caught off Bangladesh’s stand-in captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz in the 39th over, and Gulbadin Naib departed in the 41st, Bangladesh sniffed a comeback.
Afghanistan were another 57 runs away from victory, with 58 balls and five wickets remaining. However, Azmatullah Omarzai, who had fallen without scoring in both matches this series, got an unbeaten 70 off 77 deliveries to calmly lead Afghanistan to a five-wicket win in the company of Mohammad Nabi, who smashed a quick 34*.
Omarzai clubbed five sixes, the last of which went over long-on to seal the win for his side.
The victory was set up by Gurbaz’s eighth ODI hundred, and his fourth-wicket partnership of 100 with Omarzai, after Afghanistan were 84 for 3 in the 21st over.
Scores: Afghanistan 246 for 5 (Gurbaz 101, Omarzai 70*, Rana 2-40) beat Bangladesh 244 for 8 (Mahmudullah 98, Mehidy 66, Omarzai 4-37) by five wickets.