Il Nuovo Postiglione - Mujeeb, Rashid help Afghanistan limit Bangladesh to 127-7

Mujeeb and Rashid took three wickets each to rattle the opposition after Bangladesh elected to bat first at Sharjah in their opening match of the six-nation tournament.

Mosaddek Hossain hit back with an unbeaten 48 off 31 balls to give some substance to the total against an upbeat Afghanistan, who need a win to qualify for the Super Four.

Afghanistan, led by Mohammad Nabi, hammered Sri Lanka in the opening match of the tournament which serves as a tune-up to the T20 World Cup in October-November.

Mujeeb, a spinner who can turn the ball both ways, shared the new ball with left-arm quick Fazalhaq Farooqi and struck in each of his first three overs, including the key wicket of skipper Shakib Al Hasan, playing his 100th T20 international, for 11.

Champion leg-spinner Rashid Khan joined forces with Majeeb after six overs of powerplay -- when only two fielders are allowed outside the inner circle -- to send back wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim trapped lbw for one.

Bangladesh slipped to 28 for four.

Mushfiqur failed to pick a superb Rashid googly which the umpire gave not out only for Afghanistan to successfully review the decision in their favour.

Afif Hossain and Mahmudullah Riyad attempted to rebuild but Rashid broke through with a another googly that trapped the left-handed Afif lbw. He made 12.

Rashid struck again and cut short Mahmudullah's stay on 25 as the batsman top-edged a shot to deep mid-wicket.

Mosaddek then took on the bowlers to smash four boundaries and a six in his late blitz but Afghanistan finished by giving away just seven runs in the final over that included a run out.

A.Ferrara--INP