Last-over thriller in a 608-run match: Bangladesh tie with Afghanistan

Bangladesh have tied with Afghanistan after a run-filled match that stayed tense until the very last over. The two teams produced 608 runs between them, yet neither side could leave the field with a win.

The match is being described as a record-breaking contest, with batters from both sides keeping the scoring rate high throughout.

A tie means the two teams finished on exactly the same total. For such a high-scoring game to end level is a rare and dramatic outcome in cricket.

The biggest attraction was the final over. The result hung in the balance until that over, and its thrill is what carried the match to a tie.

The picture of the match changed with almost every ball of the last over. For spectators it was a breathless contest in which nobody could say for sure what the result would be until the final delivery.

For Bangladesh, the tie brings relief and regret at the same time: regret at missing a win that was so close, and relief at avoiding defeat.

Afghanistan will feel much the same. They too created a chance to win, but in the end had to settle for a share of the honours.

Matches with this many runs are usually remembered for the batting, and both line-ups proved their quality in this game.

It was a hard day for the bowlers. Bowlers from both teams tried to stem the flow of runs, but the batters' dominance pushed the match towards a record aggregate.

Tied matches stay in spectators' memories for a long time. The result may be undecided, but as a contest this match had everything.

Both teams will now look ahead to their next matches, hoping to carry the confidence from this game forward.

Bangladesh-Afghanistan contests have regularly produced thrilling matches in recent years, and this 608-run tie is the latest addition to that list.