Spinner Noor Ahmad’s match-winning spell against Kolkata Knight Riders followed a lengthy conversation with Chennai Super Kings icon M.S. Dhoni in the nets.

The left-arm wrist spinner from Afghanistan ended with figures of three for 21 in four overs, accounting for wickets of Ajinkya Rahane, Rinku Singh and Cameron Green in the middle overs to set up CSK’s 32-run win.

Bangladesh beat Afghanistan by eight runs in a group league match to remain in contention for a place in the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday (September 16, 2025).

Opener Tanzid Hasan Tamim blazed away to a 31-ball 52 before Afghanistan bowlers pulled things back to restrict Bangladesh to 154 for five.

In reply, Afghanistan were all out for 146 with Rishad Hossain (2/18), Nasum Ahmed (2/11) and Mustafizur Rahman (3/28) doing the maximum damage with the ball for Bangladesh.

Opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz top-scored for Afghanistan with 35 in 31 balls, while Azmatullah Omarzai smashed a 16-ball 30.

Batting first, Tanzid and Saif Hassan (30 off 28 balls) put on 63 for the first wicket in double-quick time to lay the foundation for the total on what looked like a good surface for batting.

However, skipper Rashid Khan and his spin colleague Noor Ahmad picked up two wickets apiece to halt the Bangladesh charge.