In a thrilling end to their three-match ODI series, Afghanistan defeated Bangladesh by five wickets in the final ODI on Monday, November 11, in Sharjah, taking the series 2-1.

Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi expressed immense pride in his team's performance despite losing the toss, a factor he initially found discouraging due to the Sharjah pitch conditions. Shahidi highlighted the importance of his team's adaptability, stating, "Very happy as a captain. The way my team performed, proud of the team. When we lost the toss, it was a little disappointing. If you see the behavior of the pitch in the second innings, batting is difficult. But the way our boys took responsibility, and the way Gurbaz, Omarzai, and Nabi did, I am really proud of them."

One of the series' standout performances came from Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who scored a remarkable 101 runs off 120 balls, setting the tone for Afghanistan's chase. Shahidi praised Gurbaz’s consistency, calling him a "match-winner" and hoping he can continue his form into future series and the upcoming Champions Trophy: "I think he is the match-winner player. Whenever he scores runs, he did a lot for our team. Very happy for him. He is very talented and hopefully he can take that momentum to the next series and also the Champions Trophy."

This victory marked Afghanistan's third consecutive ODI series win, showcasing the team’s growing strength and consistency. Reflecting on their momentum, Shahidi remarked, "The way we are playing right now is very good. If you see, everyone is performing in every game. Different guys performing and that is good for the team. We will try our best to make our team stronger. We have Zimbabwe next, and that is our next target, and we want to go with good momentum to the Champions Trophy."

With this series win, Afghanistan demonstrated their potential to challenge top-tier teams and build a formidable lineup ahead of major international tournaments. Azmatullah Omarzai earned the Player of the Match award for his all-round performance, contributing an unbeaten 70 off 77 balls and claiming four wickets for 37 runs, reinforcing Afghanistan's dominance in the decider.