GUANGZHOU: Guanggong cricket stadium and 2000 spectators saw history in making when first ever Asian Games gold medal won by Bangladesh cricket team by defeating Afghanistan by 5 wickets in Twenty20 final. They won the Gold Medal for their country and certainly the heart of the whole nation back in Bangladesh.
Afghanistan team was full in control up to the 16th over when Afghanistan bowlers forced their experienced opponents to play on the back foot up to the 16th over. Bangladesh was on 75-6 before the sixth-wicket pair of Naeem Islam and Mohammad Shabbir put on an unbeaten 44-run partnership to lock an unforgettable win. In the last two overs Bangladesh needed just 19 runs to win; but Shabbir was not in the merciful mood and wanted to finish the gold medal journey as soon as possible. He scored 17 runs with the help of two sky-high sixes on the bowling of off-spinner Karim Sadeq.
On the other side; the fairy tale of Afghanistan ended miserably; but they fought bravely till the end. In fact, the total was too small to defend against agile Bangladesh. After stunning performance in the Thursday’s semifinal against Pakistan; Afghanistan was just 20 odd runs short when they gave target of 119; after winning the toss and elected to bat first.
Victory in the semi-finals against a much experienced outfit, Pakistan, made them feel very close to the gold medal. They might have lost the match; but certainly they have won the hearts of the cricketing fans out there in Afghanistan.
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