Rashid Khan took 4 for 31, and Afghanistan knocked Bangladesh out to set up a tri-series final with Zimbabwe
Bangladesh were 28 for 4 inside seven overs in Sharjah, and Rahmat Shah’s unbeaten 67 took Afghanistan into Friday’s final with seven wickets in hand.
Oct 22, 2026
Bangladesh had to beat Afghanistan in Sharjah to stay in the UAE tri-series. They were 28 for 4 in the seventh over, all out for 160, and beaten by seven wickets with 87 balls to spare. Afghanistan play Zimbabwe in the final at the same ground on Friday 23 October, a day-night game that starts at 5pm IST.
It is Afghanistan’s fifth ODI win in a row over Bangladesh. Their captain Rahmat Shah finished the chase on 67 not out, but the bowlers had done the hard part long before he walked in.
Four down in seven overs
Yamin Ahmadzai took Tanzid Hasan and Soumya Sarkar with successive balls in the second over, with six on the board. Azmatullah Omarzai then removed Najmul Hossain Shanto and Towhid Hridoy in the seventh. Ahmadzai finished with 2 for 21 and Omarzai with 2 for 27.
Saif Hassan and Parvez Hossain Emon, who was only in the side because Litton Das has a hip injury, put on 93 for the fifth wicket. Saif made 41 before he holed out off Mohammad Nabi, and that started the second collapse. Emon reached 70 before Rashid Khan trapped him lbw, and the last five wickets went for 39 runs.
Rashid finished with 4 for 31. He took 4 for 17 against Zimbabwe two days earlier, so he has eight wickets in the series for 48 runs.
Taskin made a fight of it, briefly
Taskin Ahmed gave Bangladesh something. He got rid of Rahmanullah Gurbaz for 6 and Sediqullah Atal for 4, and Afghanistan were 39 for 2 in the seventh over. He finished with 2 for 36.
That was as good as it got. Rahmat and Ibrahim Zadran added 56 before Mustafizur Rahman had Zadran caught by Shanto for 34 in the 20th over. Rahmat and Hashmatullah Shahidi, who made 36 not out, knocked off the remaining 66 without being parted and got Afghanistan home in 35.3 overs.
Zimbabwe again on Friday
Afghanistan have won both their games in the series. They beat Zimbabwe by 158 runs in Abu Dhabi on 19 October, when Atal made a hundred and Zimbabwe were bowled out for 136. That was two days after Zimbabwe had beaten Bangladesh by 99. On that evidence Afghanistan go into the final as clear favourites, but Zimbabwe only need one good day.