Sharjah: Bangladesh finally secured their first victory at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, winning the second ODI by 68 runs to level the three-match series against Afghanistan. However, captain Najmul Hossain Shanto expressed that there is still room for improvement if they want to clinch the series. According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Tigers, who lost the first game by 92 runs after a dramatic collapse, needed to perform well in the second match. Shanto led the side to victory with a crucial 76-run innings. This win marked Bangladesh's first triumph in Sharjah, a milestone achieved after 34 years since their first match at the venue in 1990. Shanto commented on the performance, saying, "Feel little better but still there is something. We've to wait till next match. To be very honest I'm not happy. Probably I have to bat a bit longer because the wicket was difficult against spin." He also credited the team's spinners, Miraz and Nasum, and praised Taskin's crucial early dismissal of Afghanistan's Gur baz. Shanto was particularly satisfied with the way Jaker Ali and the lower middle order finished the game, which helped Bangladesh gain momentum. The team scored 52 runs in the last five overs, a factor that Afghanistan's captain Hashmatullah Shahidi acknowledged as pivotal in the match's outcome. Shahidi admitted the challenges his team faced, stating, "They scored 52 runs in the last five overs. Wicket was a used one and it was tough for batting second. Our first 10 overs were not up to the mark. Last five overs cost us as well. In the batting we lost some back-to-back wickets. Should've had some partnerships."
