Sat Oct 11 11:30:00 UTC 2025: ## Afghanistan Dominates Bangladesh in First ODI, Takes Series Lead

**Chattogram, Bangladesh** – Afghanistan secured a convincing five-wicket victory over Bangladesh in the first One Day International at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium on Wednesday, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. A disciplined bowling performance followed by solid batting displays paved the way for the Afghan win.

Bangladesh won the toss and chose to bat first and quickly found themselves in trouble after losing their top three batsmen with only 53 runs on the board. Azmatullah Omarzai’s fiery opening spell did the damage. A 101-run partnership between Towhid Hridoy (56) and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (60) steadied the ship for the hosts. The batters mixed caution with aggression but a mix-up resulted in Hridoy being run out and triggered a collapse. Rashid Khan then ripped through the middle order claiming the wickets of Mehidy, Jaker Ali, and Nurul Hasan. Bangladesh were eventually bowled out for 221 in 48.5 overs, with Rashid Khan and Omarzai taking three wickets apiece.

In response, Afghanistan’s opening pair, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran, provided a solid start, putting on 50 runs. Zadran fell for 25, but Gurbaz continued his assault, reaching his half-century before falling to Mehidy. Rahmat Shah also contributed a vital fifty before being dismissed shortly after. Azmatullah Omarzai added a quick 40 with 6 fours and a six, while captain Hashmatullah Shahidi anchored the chase, guiding the team towards victory. Mohammad Nabi sealed the win with a six with 17 balls to spare, finishing at 226/5 in 47.1 overs. Tanzim Hasan Sakib was the pick of the Bangladesh bowlers, claiming three wickets.

**Brief Scores:**

* **Bangladesh:** 221 all out in 48.5 overs (Mehidy Hasan Miraz 60, Towhid Hridoy 56; Rashid Khan 3-38, Azmatullah Omarzai 3-40)
* **Afghanistan:** 226/5 in 47.1 overs (Rahmanullah Gurbaz 50, Rahmat Shah 50; Tanzim Hasan Sakib 3-31, Mehidy Hasan Miraz 1-32)

Afghanistan’s dominant performance, particularly with spin (35.5 overs bowled), puts them in a strong position as they look to clinch the series in the second ODI.

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