CHITTAGONG, BANGLADESH: Left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi claimed 3-24 as Afghanistan restricted Bangladesh to 169-9 in the rain-hit first one-day international of the three-match series in Chittagong on Wednesday.
Leg-spinner Rashid Khan and off-spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman also claimed 2-21 and 2-23 respectively, to keep Bangladesh in check after rain interrupted their innings twice, reducing the contest to 43-over per side.
Rookie batsman Towhid Hridoy hit the highest 51 runs for Bangladesh, who struggled for momentum ever since Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi won the toss and elected to bowl first.
The hosts were 84-3 in 15.1 overs when rain interrupted the game for the first time, with the top three batsmen, Tamim Iqbal (13), Liton Das (26), and Najmul Hossain (12), all returning to the crease.
Azmatullah Omarzai removed Shakib Al Hasan for 15 on resumption, and joining the attack, Rashid took two quick wickets to derail the home side.
Omarzai bowled Mushfiqur Rahim between the legs for one and dismissed Afif Hossain leg-before for four three overs later.
Farooqi scalped Mehidy Hasan Miraz, leg-before for five, before rain halted the game again, with Bangladesh ominously at 144-7 in 34.3 overs.
Towhid completed his third fifty in seven ODIs after play resumed with doubles off Farooqi, but fell in the same over.
Afghanistan, who lost their previous two ODI series in Bangladesh, gave fast bowler Mohammad Saleem Safi his ODI debut.