Bangladesh’s batsman Anamul Haque celebrates after hitting the winning shot during their ICC Twenty20 Cricket World Cup opening match against Afghanistan in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Sunday, March 16, 2014. Bangladesh won the match by nine wickets.
Mirpur: Bangladesh opened its World Twenty20 campaign on Sunday with a comfortable nine-wicket victory over Afghanistan in a Group A qualifying match.
Left-arm spinner Shakib-Al-Hasan grabbed 3-8 as the host dismissed Afghanistan for 72 in 17.1 overs in what was the lowest international T20 total in Bangladesh. It then scored 78-1 in 12 overs with opener Anamul Haque getting a quick 44 not out.
Bangladesh had lost to Afghanistan during the recent Asia Cup but was determined not to slip up in this match, which is expected to determine the qualifier from this group where Bangladesh and Afghanistan are expected to dominate Hong Kong and Nepal.
The top team from among these four will join India, Pakistan, Australia and West Indies in Group 2 of the Super 10 stage.
