Watch: Mushfiqur Rahim ended a defiant innings from Ibrahim Zadran with a stunning one-handed grab behind the stumps on September 3 during Bangladesh’s must-win clash against Afghanistan in the Asia Cup 2023.
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Ibrahim Zadran had formed two solid partnerships after Rahmanullah Gurbaz was dismissed early in Afghanistan’s chase. He put on 78 off 97 balls with Rahmat Shah before combining with Hashmatullah Shahidi for another fifty-plus stand as Afghanistan had come to chase an improbable 335 in Lahore after Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mehidy Hasan Miraz put on a mammoth third-wicket partnership.
Ibrahim was crucial to Afghanistan’s hopes of reaching their target. He had racked up an impressive record from his short ODI career to date – he averages 56.50 from 19 appearances to date, with four centuries. Having stabilised the the top order, he reached his half-century off 52 balls before looking to accelerate. He hit consecutive boundaries off Mehidy to move past 70.
Just four balls later, however, he was on his way back to the dugout when Mushfiqur produced an awesome catch. Mehidy floated the ball outside the off-stump, and it took the outside edge of Ibrahim’s bat.
The thick edge flew quickly to the right of Mushfiqur behind the stumps. Diving horizontally to his right, Mushfiqur stretched full length to reach the ball just in time. As he fell to the floor, he was able keep the ball in his hand and off the grass as he slid over the surface.
Mushfiqur stayed face-down on the ground for several seconds in obvious disbelief before being pulled up by his ecstatic teammates. The wicket left Afghanistan 131-3 in the 28th over. They were eventually bowled out for 245, and Bangladesh’s 89-run win enabled them to qualify for the Super Fours.
