‘It was a match-changing spell’

Bangladesh T20I skipper Mahmudullah Riyad was all praise for spinner Nasum Ahmed, whose joint-career best T20I figures helped Bangladesh crush Afghanistan by 61 runs in the first of two T20Is at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur today. 

"Nasum bowled really well, it was a match-changing spell," said Mahmudullah about Nasum's efforts at the presentation ceremony after the game. 

Nasum's four for 10 is also the best bowling figure by anyone in Bangladesh-Afghanistan T20Is, surpassing Rashid Khan's figures of four for 12 in Dehradun in 2018.

The left-arm spinner also became the Bangladesh bowler to take four wickets inside the Powerplay in T20Is. 

"My plan was to restrict runs and pile the pressure on them. It came off as I got early wickets," said player-of-the-match Nasum after the game. 

Before Nasum, it was a fluent 44-ball 60 that had set the Tigers on course for a competitive total. 

And Bangladesh skipper Mahmudullah did not forget to credit the batter. 

"Pleasing to see how the boys fought in the middle with the bat, ball. The energy was good too.  Litton was superb with the bat, once he gets going it's eye-pleasing. We are happy to win against Afghanistan, who have a good T20 side. But we can't sit back after one win and will look to do it again in the next game," added Mahmudullah. 

With this win today, Bangladesh ended their eight-match losing streak in T20Is and now also lead the two-match series 1-0.