DHAKA, Oct 2, 2025 (BSS) - Bangladesh recovered from a sensational collapse to beat Afghanistan by four wickets in the first T20 and lead the three-match series 1-0 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium today.

Chasing a modest 152 for a victory, Bangladesh were on course of a comprehensive victory with openers Parvez Hossain Emon and Tanzid Hasan Tamim putting on 109 runs in 11 overs.

Pacer Fareed Ahmad Malik cracked the game open, having broken the partnership by dismissing Emon and captain Rashid Khan then went berserk to take four wickets in his last two overs as Bangladesh lost six wickets for nine runs.

Nurul Hasan Sohan played an audacious 13 ball-23 not out and Rishad Hossain made 14 off nine with luck and pluck as the duo shared crucial 35 runs in an unbeaten seven wickets to help Bangladesh canter to the victory in 18.4 overs.

After a string of poor performances, that saw him drop from several games of the Asia Cup, Emon finally hit back to form with 37 ball-54, an innings laced with four fours and three sixes.

Tanzid also regained his form by hammering 51 off 37 as he smote three fours and as many sixes.

They gave Afghan bowlers a little chance, looking to make the chase a cakewalk. But drama unfolded when Fareed trapped Emon leg-before to break the opening stand.

Rashid who conceded 15 runs in the first two overs, got into act in his second spell, taking out Tanzid before trapping Saif Hasan leg-before for duck in the immediate next ball.

In his last over, he again took two wickets, getting rid of captain Jaker Ali Anik for 6 and Shamim Patwari for duck to finish with 3-18.

Noor Ahmed removed Tanzim Hasan Sakib for duck, via leg-before after which Sohan and Rishad played some risky shots to earn a redemption.

Rishad who survived before opening his account hit a boundary as Bangladesh reached 153-6 for a victory.

Earlier, Bangladesh bowlers put a stellar show to restrict Afghanistan to a meager 151-9 in an otherwise a pretty flat deck.

Pacer Tanzim Hasan Sakib and legspinner Rishad Hossain took two wickets apiece but Mustafizur Rahman and Nasum Ahmed produced economical bowling like they did it every day to stifle Afghanistan after they chose to bat first.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz made team-best 40 off 31 with two fours and three sixes while veteran Mohammad Nabi hammered 25 ball-38, smashing one four and four sixes.

Gurbaz kept the side flowing as Bangladesh bowlers came down heavily on the Afghan batters and made them six down before they crossed 100 runs.

Gurbaz made the most of the runs in this crunch period, setting a platform for the side to take the score past 150.

Nabi, however, powered the side after the dismissal of Gurbaz before Taskin removed him in the 18th over, preventing Afghanistan from making more carnage.

But Sharafuddin Ashraf hit 12 ball-17 not out to give the scoreboard some respectability.