DHAKA, Nov 09, 2024 (BSS) - Bangladesh finally got their first victory at Sharjah Cricket Stadium when they won the second ODI by 68 runs to level the three-match series but captain Najmul Hossain Shanto felt there is still room for improvement if they want to win the series against the Afghanistan.

The Tigers, as it was adorably called, lost the first game by 92 runs after suffering a sensational collapse that saw them losing eight wickets for 23 runs. The second game therefore turned out to be a ‘do or die’ match and Shanto himself led the side to the victory with a calculative 76-run knock.

The victory also created a piece of history for Bangladesh too as they registered their first win in Sharjah - a victory that was 34 years in the making, having first played at this venue in 1990!

“Feel little better but still there is something. We’ve to wait till next match. To be very honest I'm not happy. Probably I have to bat a bit longer because the wicket was difficult against spin,” Shanto said after the match, also giving a credit to his spinners.

“The way Miraz and Nasum bowled - credit to them. And the way we started with the new ball – you see Taskin took out Gurbaz. That’s what we wanted at the start because he's an important batter,” he added.

But what made Shanto satisfied more was the way Jaker Ali finished the game.
“The way they finished, we got the momentum. That's what I want from Jaker and the lower middle order,” he said.

 Bangladesh scored 52 runs in the last five overs thanks to Jaker’s firework and it made the difference, said Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi.

“They scored 52 runs in the last five overs. Wicket was a used one and it was tough for batting second. Our first 10 overs were not up to the mark. Last five overs cost us as well. In the batting we lost some back-to-back wickets. Should've had some partnerships,” Shahidi said.