Bangladesh beat Afghanistan by six wickets in their ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 campaign opener at Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala, India on Saturday.    

All-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz has become player of the match. 

After the failure of openers -- Tanzid Hasan and Litton Das, top-order batters -- Mehedi Hasan Miraz and Najmul Hossain Shanto batted brilliantly and gave the team an opening victory.

Miraz scored 57 runs off 73 balls. This is his third ODI fifty and first in the World Cup. Shanto scored 59 runs from 83 balls. This is his 6th ODI fifty and first in the World Cup.    

Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq and Azmatullah Omarzai got one wicket each.

Earlier in the first innings, Afghanistan scored 156 runs in 37.2 overs losing all wickets. 

Opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz scored the highest 47 runs off 62 balls.

Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan and Mehedi Hasan Miraz picked three wickets each while Shoriful Islam scalped two.

Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed bagged one wicket each.

Before starting the game, Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan won the toss and opted to bowl first.

Bd-pratidin English/Golam Rosul