Bangladesh vs. Afghanistan, World T20: Video Highlights, Scorecard, Report

Hosts Bangladesh won the opening game of the fifth ICC World Twenty20 tournament with a comfortable nine-wicket victory over Afghanistan in Mirpur.

The tournament debutants were skittled out for 72 in 17.1 overs after being put into bat by Mushfiqur Rahim at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.

			Runs	Minutes	Balls
Shehzad	c Mahmudullah	b Mortaza	0		1
Tarakai	c Nasir Hossain	b Shakib	7	27	11
Naib	c Rahman	b Shakib	21	26	22
Mangal	run out (Rahman)		0	5	1
Nabi	lbw	b Razzak	3	15	9
Sadiq	run out (Reza)		10	19	23
Shafiqullah	c Mushfiqur Rahim	b Mahmudullah	16	17	16
Shenwari	lbw	b Razzak	1	5	3
Zadran	c Mahmudullah	b Reza	1	9	6
S Zadran		b Shakib	1	12	11
Alam	not out		0	3	1
Extras		2nb 3w 2b 5lb	12
Bowler		Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
Mortaza		2	0	8	1
Al-Amin		2	0	18	0
Shakib		3.1	0	8	3
Mahmudullah		4	1	8	1
Razzak		4	0	20	2
Rahman		1	0	1	0
Reza		1	0	2	1

The Tigers reached their target with eight overs to spare as they commenced their Group A campaign with a commanding victory.

Afghanistan’s tournament could have not started in worse fashion as Mohammad Shahzad was dismissed with the opening ball of the match.

Gulbadin Naib top scored with 21 but his wicket was the first of three to fall with the score on 36 and they lost their final four wickets for three runs.

Shakib Al Hasan was the pick of the bowlers with 3-8.

In their reply, Bangladesh openers Tamim Iqbal and Anamul Haque put on 45 for the opening wicket.

			Runs	Minutes	Balls
Tamim Iqbal	lbw	b Shenwari	21	27	27
A Haque	not out		44	50	32
Shakib	not out		10	20	12
Extras		0nb 2w 0b 1lb	3
Bowler		Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
Nabi		3	0	11	0
S Zadran		1	0	7	0
Sadiq		2	0	17	0
Zadran		2	0	13	0
Shenwari		3	0	14	1
Alam		1	0	15	0

Tamim was trapped lbw for 21 in the eighth over by Samiullah Shenwari but the hosts cantered to victory.

Anamul finished unbeaten on 44, giving the home fans plenty to cheer with three sixes including a maximum off Shenwari to seal the triumph.

The World T20 has been expanded to 16 teams this year with the two lowest ranked full members, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, joined by six qualifiers.

Those eight teams are split into two groups and play in a round-robin format with the winner of each group joining the top eight ranked nations in the Super 10 stage, which begins on March 21.