DHARAMSALA, India — Mehidy Hasan Miraz starred with bat and ball in hilly Dharamsala as Bangladesh crushed Afghanistan by six wickets at the Cricket World Cup on Saturday.
After Bangladesh won the toss and elected to field, Afghanistan was skittled out for 156 with all-rounder Mehidy picking up 3-25 and skipper Shakib Al Hasan claiming 3-30.
Mehidy then scored 57 runs in 73 balls as Bangladesh made 158-4 in 34.4 overs, easing home with 15.2 overs to spare.
Afghanistan made a good start to its innings with Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran (22) putting on 47 for the first wicket.
Gurbaz added another 36 with Rahmat Shah (18) before Shakib struck twice to remove Zadran and Shah.
The turning point came when Mehidy dismissed Hashmatullah Shahidi for 18 as the skipper went for a slog.
PHOTOS: Bangladesh wins the toss and will bat first against Afghanistan at the Cricket World Cup
Four balls later, Mustafizur Rahman removed the in-form Gurbaz for 47 with a slower ball and the Afghanistan slide continued, with the last three wickets all falling on 156.
Bangladesh then made a poor start to its innings, Tanzid Hasan going for five and Litton Das for 13.
Mehidy, though, added 97 in 129 balls with Najmul Hossain Shanto for the third wicket to steer Bangladesh toward its target.
Naveen-ul-Haq removed Mehidy thanks to a brilliant catch at mid-off from Shah, but Shanto stayed until the end, scoring 59 not out off 83 balls including three fours and a six.
Ahead of the day-night game in Delhi, Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to field against South Africa.
Sri Lanka has arrived at the World Cup without injured leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga, while skipper Dasun Shanaka is also struggling with his batting.
Sri Lanka will be relying on young left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage, who excelled in the Asia Cup in the absence of Hasaranga, and fast bowlers Kasun Rajitha, Dilshan Madushanka and Matheesha Pathirana.
South Africa, which has not lost to Sri Lanka in a World Cup game for more than three decades, has prolific power-hitters Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller in its middle-order.
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Line-ups:
South Africa: Quinton de Kock, Temba Bavuma (captain), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi.
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka (captain), Dunith Wellalage, Kasun Rajitha, Dilshan Madushanka, Matheesha Pathirana
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