In the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 match between Bangladesh and Afghanistan, Bangladesh emerged victorious, largely thanks to the impressive performance of their spin bowlers.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Shakib Al Hasan, known as the spin twins, put up a brilliant display.
They collectively took 6 wickets for just 55 runs in 17 overs, effectively dismantling Afghanistan's top-order batting lineup.
Their performance was a key factor in restricting Afghanistan to a total of 156 all out in the first innings.
The Dharamsala pitch, which is known for favoring seam bowlers, unexpectedly provided turn for the spinners.
Shakib and Mehidy capitalized on this and adapted quickly to the conditions. They discussed the right line and length to bowl and executed their plans effectively.
Afghanistan's head coach, Jonathan Trott, acknowledged that his team struggled against the Bangladesh spinners.
He noted that Afghanistan's batters did not play the spinners well, in contrast to Bangladesh, who handled Afghanistan's spinners better.
Trott highlighted that the decision-making and stability were lacking in their batting, leading to their collapse for just 73 runs.
Afghanistan faces tough challenges in their upcoming matches against India and England.
Trott emphasized the need for improvement and urged his team to bounce back after their initial disappointment.
He is hopeful that his players will rise to the occasion and perform better in their upcoming matches.
Afghanistan will be traveling to Delhi for their next match against India, while Bangladesh will stay in Dharamsala to face England in their upcoming fixture.
Overall, the match showcased the significance of spin bowling in subcontinent conditions, and Bangladesh's spin twins played a pivotal role in their victory, while Afghanistan will be looking to regroup and perform better in their upcoming matches.