Tigers pile up a mammoth 306 after Liton-Mushfiq blitz

Litton Das' fifth ODI century and Mushfiqur Rahim's magnificent 86 helped Bangladesh post 306 for four in 50 overs batting first against Afghanistan. At one stage, it looked like the hosts would cross 320 but Afghanistan pulled things back a bit towards the back end.

Bangladesh were the happier side at the toss and decided to bat first. Fazalhaq Farooqi continued to impress with the new ball as he beat the bat of the Bangladesh openers many times. But his partner Fareed Ahmad was guilty of being wayward and the visitors conceded as many as 12 extras inside the first three overs.

Despite hitting a couple of boundaries, Tamim Iqbal didn't look comfortable in the middle as Farooqi troubled him with swing and seam movement. The left-arm seamer pinned Tamim leg-before in the same fashion as the previous match. Tamim made 12 off 24 balls.

Litton Das and Shakib Al Hasan added 45 in nine overs as Afghanistan continued to give away too many extra runs. Hashmatullah Shahidi brought his best bowler Rashid Khan into the attack in the 16th over and he straightaway trapped Shakib in front. Shakib scores 20 off 36. Bangladesh were 83 for two.

Mushfiqur Rahim and Litton kept the scoreboard ticking over after Shakib's dismissal. Bangladesh were 132 for two in the 25-over mark. Mushfiqur was unbeaten on 20 and Litton on 54. Litton struck two fours off Rahmat Shah in the 24th over and inched closer to his fourth ODI fifty which he got in the next over. 

Both the batters looked to use the pace of the spinners and a great deal of the runs came through the third-man region off late cuts. A high percentage of Mushfiqur's runs came off his favourite slog sweep and he reached his fifty off just 56 balls after hitting Rashid for two fours. At the 35-over mark, Bangladesh were 195 for two, well-set for a 300-plus total.

Litton was dropped on 87 by Hashmatullah Shahidi off Mujeeb Ur Rahman in the 38th over. He moved into the nineties by smashing a four off Rashid in the next over. 

Litton struck a boundary over cover off Rashid to rack up his fifth ODI hundred off 107 deliveries. He opened up his shoulders after the hundred and boundaries started to flow off his bat. He scored 34 off just 19 after century before getting out in the 47th over. Mushfiqur too got out in the next delivery on 86 off 93. Litton scored 136 off 126.

The partnership between him and Mushfiqur yielded 202 off 186 which was the highest third wicket partnership for Bangladesh.

After Mushfiqur's dismissal, Bangladesh hit a solitary boundary as Afghanistan bowled a great last couple of overs. Bangladesh finished with 306 for four.

Fareed Ahmed took two wickets while Farooqi and Rashid took one apiece. Bangladesh gave only one wicket to the spin duo of Rashid and Mujeeb and took 105 runs.