Rahmanullah Gurbaz's Record-Breaking Century Powers Afghanistan to a Historic Series Victory Over Bangladesh

The third ODI between Afghanistan and Bangladesh turned out to be a thrilling series decider, held in the vibrant cricketing hub of Sharjah. This match, which encapsulated a series full of exciting moments and remarkable milestones, saw Afghanistan emerge victorious in a memorable clash. One of the standout highlights came from Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who made history by becoming the youngest player to score 8 centuries in ODIs. At just 22 years and 349 days old, Gurbaz surpassed the legendary Sachin Tendulkar, who had achieved the same feat at 22 years and 357 days. This stunning record, coupled with his match-winning performance, played a pivotal role in Afghanistan securing the win. Here’s a detailed review of the action-packed 3rd ODI between Afghanistan and Bangladesh, where history was made and a series was decided.

Mahmudullah Valiant Effort

Bangladesh Wins the Toss and Chooses to Bat First

Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bat first on a slow surface in Sharjah, hoping it would become more favorable for spinners as the innings progressed. They made two changes to their lineup, while Afghanistan remained unchanged.

The innings began with Tanzid Hasan and Soumya Sarkar opening for Bangladesh, facing Fazalhaq Farooqi with the new ball. The Bangladesh openers had a steady start, looking for quick twos and singles while hitting a few boundaries, reaching 58/2 by the end of the mandatory powerplay. However, Afghanistan quickly showed their dominance by taking two quick wickets, reducing Bangladesh to 58/3.

Mehidy Hasan then added a steady flow of runs, but his partners continued to fall at the other end. With the score at 72/4, Mahmudullah joined Mehidy Hasan in the middle. Both batters took a cautious approach, focusing on singles and building the scoreboard. They formed a fifty-partnership, and Mehidy Hasan reached his half-century.

Once Mahmudullah settled in, he began scoring quicker runs, finding boundaries and sixes while allowing Mehidy to anchor the partnership. They eventually built a partnership of 100, with both batters achieving half-centuries. However, Afghanistan managed to break this partnership when Azmatullah Omarzai dismissed Mehidy Hasan for 66 runs off 119 balls, breaking the 145-run stand between him and Mahmudullah.

This partnership had propelled Bangladesh from 72/4 to a respectable 217/5 with five overs remaining. Mahmudullah then guided Bangladesh to 244/8, but he fell just short of his century, being run out for 98 runs off 98 balls. His innings included seven fours and three sixes, helping Bangladesh reach a competitive total.

Though Bangladesh started well, they couldn't capitalize on their middle overs due to regular wicketfalls. Nevertheless, the partnership between Mehidy Hasan and Mahmudullah proved crucial in setting a decent total in this series decider. For Afghanistan, Azmatullah Omarzai was the standout bowler, taking 4 wickets for 37 runs and picking up some key wickets during the middle overs.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s Century Leads Afghanistan to Victory

Chasing a target of 245 runs to win the series, Afghanistan's openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Sediqullah Atal took to the field against Shoriful Islam with the new ball. Gurbaz started quickly, not allowing the Bangladesh bowlers to settle. However, Nahid Rana provided the first breakthrough, dismissing Atal for 14 runs off 18 balls, which affected the scoring rate. By the end of the powerplay, Afghanistan's score was 45/1.

Despite some wicket losses, Gurbaz stood firm and was the only one consistently scoring runs. After 20 overs, Afghanistan found themselves at 84/3. Azmatullah Omarzai joined Gurbaz, and they mirrored the approach of the Bangladesh duo, taking their time while accumulating runs and looking for boundaries to keep the required run rate manageable. Gurbaz reached a well-deserved half-century and looked set to convert it into a bigger score. Their partnership reached 100, and Gurbaz then brought up his record-breaking eighth ODI century off 117 balls his third against Bangladesh and in Sharjah.

Youngest Player to Achieve 8 Centuries in ODI History

• Rahamnanullah Gurbaz - 22 years 349 days
• Sachin Tendulkar 22 years 357 days
• Virat Kohli 23 years 27 days
• Babar Azam 23 years 280 days

Mehidy Hasan Mirza provided a crucial breakthrough for Bangladesh, taking a wicket as Afghanistan reached 187/4 after 40 overs, with 58 runs required from the last 10 overs. Azmatullah also achieved his half-century, but after Gulabdin Naib’s quick dismissal, Afghanistan stumbled to 193/5. Mohammed Nabi, who had an exceptional series, came in and formed a significant 58-run partnership with Azmatullah, comfortably guiding the team to chase the target with 10 balls to spare.

Afghanistan won the match by 5 wickets, clinching the series 2-1 and lifting the trophy. Despite the chase appearing tricky, contributions from Gurbaz, Azmatullah, and Nabi made it easier with smart batting. Azmatullah Omarzai was named Player of the Match for his all-round performance of 4 wickets for 37 runs and an unbeaten 70 runs. Veteran all-rounder Mohammed Nabi was awarded Player of the Series for leading the runs chart with 135 runs and 2 wickets over the three-match series. In the post-match interview, Nabi mentioned that they are focusing on the Champions Trophy, stating they are not just underdogs but one of the favorites to win the trophy.

In the end, Rahmanullah Gurbaz's record-breaking century was the cornerstone of Afghanistan's dominant performance in the third ODI. His brilliant knock secured a memorable victory and ensured Afghanistan's series win against Bangladesh. With a mix of individual brilliance and solid team effort, Afghanistan has proven its growing strength in international cricket, setting the stage for even greater achievements in the future as it sets its sights on the Champions Trophy 2025.