Bangladesh cricketer Mushfiqur Rahim (left), plays a shot during the second One Day International (ODI) cricket match between Bangladesh and Afghansitan at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka on Sept 28. (AFP)

DHAKA, Sept 28, (AFP): Afghanistan skipper Asghar Stanikzai top-scored 57 runs as his side shocked Bangladesh by claiming a two-wicket victory in the second one-day international to level the three-match series 1-1 in Dhaka Wednesday.

Bowlers set up the win for Afghanistan as leg-spinner Rashid Khan took 3-35 and Mohammad Nabi claimed 2-16 to help the visitors dismiss Bangladesh for a modest 208 runs on a slow pitch at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.

Man-of-the-match Nabi showed his all-round skill scoring 49 runs and putting on 107 runs with Stanikzai in the fifth wicket as Afghanistan recovered from 63-4 to reach 212-8, completing their second win against Bangladesh in four meetings.

Stanikzai hit four fours and two sixes in his 95 balls to atone for some of his causal batting in the opening match, which saw Afghanistan lose by seven runs despite dominating Bangladeshi bowlers for a long period.

Defending a modest score, Shakib Al Hasan gave Bangladesh some hope with three early wickets before finishing with 4-47, but Nabi and Stanikzai stood firm to put Afghanistan in a strong position.

Mashrafe Mortaza trapped Nabi leg-before to end their partnership before debutant Mosaddek Hossain, who claimed 2-30, including one off his first ball, removed Stanikzai.

But Najibullah Zadran made 22 and other lower-order batsmen gave him valuable support to see Afghanistan home, setting the third and final match on October 1 as the series decider.

Stanikzai hailed his bowlers for their brilliant effort.

“This match, the credit goes to the team. Nabi and Rashid bowled really well,” he said.

“The ball reversed in the end, but Najib did it for us.”

Earlier, Bangladesh could only pass the 200-run mark owing to an unbeaten 45 runs of Mosaddek, who shared 43 runs with Rubel Hossain in the last wicket pair.

Put into bat first, Bangladesh, who were looking for their 100th ODI win and to wrap-up the series after winning Sunday’s first match by a narrow seven runs, made a cautious start with the opening pair fetching 45 runs.

Mirwais Ashraf, who claimed 2-23, removed both the openers Tamim Iqbal (20) and Soumya Sarkar (20) before Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah Riyad revived the innings, adding 61 runs for the third wicket.

Afghan spinners took control of the proceedings once Naveen-ul-Haq bowled Mahmudullah for 25.

Rahim, who scored 38, soon followed Mahmudullah attempting his favourite slow-sweep as Naveen-ul Haq took the catch at deep square leg off leg-spinner Shah.

Nabi trapped Shakib Al Hasan leg-before for 17 before Rashid worked out the lower order.

Bangladesh captain Mortaza lamented their poor batting. “(Our) batting wasn’t up to the mark. The wicket was on the slow side, and after getting 20-30 runs, somebody should have made a good score,” he said.

South Africa will face the second-string England Lions ahead of their four-Test series in England next year, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced Wednesday.

Later in the season, the West Indies will have a trio of three-day games against county sides before the start of their three-Test series against England.

In July, the ECB confirmed the major international fixtures for both the South Africa and West Indies tours, with England also staging the 2017 Champions Trophy tournament featuring the world’s top eight one-day nations.

Wednesday’s statement filled in the gaps in the tour schedules and ECB chief executive Tom Harrison said: “We’re very pleased to have agreed such a comprehensive touring programme for 2017 -- a schedule which will provide fans with even more opportunities to see two international teams in action at county grounds; and help our Lions players test themselves against high quality opposition in both red and white-ball cricket.

“With this country also hosting the ICC Champions Trophy and the ICC Women’s World Cup next season, 2017 promises to be a hugely exciting summer of cricket -- and a strong platform to promote our sport to an even wider and more diverse audience.”

South Africa A will also visit England in 2017 for a tour culminating in a ‘Test’ against the Lions in Canterbury in June.