Dew hampers Bangladesh against Afghanistan: Miraz

Stand-in Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz attributed Afghanistan's successful run chase to favorable batting conditions caused by dew in the third and final ODI at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. 

The visitors secured the series 2-1, chasing down Bangladesh's total of 244-8 with five wickets in hand and 10 balls to spare.

Afghanistan's triumph marked their second consecutive bilateral ODI series win against Bangladesh, following a series victory in Chattogram last year. 

Miraz, who was leading the side in place of the injured Najmul Hossain Shanto, had opted to bat first after winning the toss. His excitement was evident as he made his decision to the match referee before presenter Ramiz Raja could ask him. The team�s strategy was based on past matches, where batting first proved advantageous due to pitch conditions.

"We saw in the last two matches that the wicket was spinning, and that is why we wanted to bat first," Miraz explained post-match. However, he acknowledged that the dew made batting easier for Afghanistan. "Some dew came in tonight, so the ball was coming on too easily, which made it easier to bat on later."

Bangladesh had previously leveled the series with a dominant 68-run win in the second match, thanks to the efforts of their spinners. But in the series decider, the dew hindered the bowlers' ability to grip the ball, rendering the spin attack largely ineffective. 

Despite reducing Afghanistan to 84-3, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Azmatullah Omarzai's 100-run partnership swung the momentum. Gurbaz scored a match-defining 101, while Omarzai remained unbeaten on 70, guiding Afghanistan to victory. Omarzai�s all-around performance, which included figures of 4-37, earned him the Player of the Match award.

Miraz praised the opposition: "Credit goes to them; they played really well, especially Gurbaz and Omarzai.� Reflecting on Bangladesh's struggles, he admitted, "The problem was that we didn�t get wickets in the middle overs."

Mahmudullah Riyad provided hope for Bangladesh with a valiant run-a-ball 98, narrowly missing a century. His 145-run stand with Miraz steadied the innings after a mini-collapse, but the partnership's slow pace left Bangladesh short by at least 20 runs. Miraz himself scored 66 off 119 balls, a cautious innings given the circumstances. "It was a tough job. The boys played really well, especially Mahmudullah Riyad bhai and me," he noted.

Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi lauded his team's resilience. "When we lost the toss, it was a bit disappointing. But the way our players, especially Gurbaz, Omarzai, and [Mohammad] Nabi, took responsibility was incredible. I am really proud of them," he said.