Powerplay Mistake: Did Rashid Khan's Captaincy Error Hand Bangladesh An Advantage?

Anurag Dasgupta

Rashid Khan error vs Bangladesh [Source: AFP Photo] Rashid Khan error vs Bangladesh [Source: AFP Photo]

Bangladesh opted to bat first after winning the toss against Afghanistan, and the team was off to a flying start with Tanzid Hasan scoring a brisk fifty off 28 deliveries. The left-handed batter at one stage was 34 off 12 balls and threatened to break the record of the fastest T20I fifty by a Bangladesh player.

He utilised the power play and was all over the Afghanistan attack as they struggled to contain him. Judging by the game, it seemed as if Afghanistan skipper, Rashid Khan missed a huge trick by not bringing himself early into the attack.

Why Rashid missed a huge trick Vs Bangladesh?

There is no doubt that Rashid Khan is perhaps the best T20I spinner at the moment and is certainly Afghanistan’s best bowler in the side. He came into the attack in the 7th over, but by then, the Bangladesh opener was well set. The three bowlers Rashid used in the power play were average to say the least.

Bowlers
Overs bowled
Runs conceded
Fazalhaq Farooqi219
Azmatullah Omarzai213
Allah Ghazanfar
227
  • The trio bowled 2 overs each in the first six overs and conceded 59 runs, going in at almost 10 runs per over. With Fazalhaq Farooqi and Omarzai, the two pacers in the power play, Rashid could have replaced Ghazanfar with himself, and should have at least bowled a solitary over.
  • Rashid came in the 7th over and took a wicket in the first six deliveries, and instead of coming into the attack after the power play, the skipper should have been attacking in the first 6 overs, which he didn’t.

Rashid could have been dangerous vs the left-hander

Rashid has a wealth of T20 experience, and the Afghan spinner has a brilliant googly, which he uses to disguise the batter. With Tanzid Hasan going strong and targeting the leg-side region, Rashid could have used the googly as his secret option to dismiss the Bangladesh opener.

Ghazanfar simply lacked the experience of bowling in big stage, and the effect was felt as the Bangladesh opener hammered him for 27 runs in 2 overs.