Nasum Ahmed and Liton Das helped Bangladesh halt an eight-match losing streak in T20Is with a resounding 61-run win over Afghanistan in Dhaka on Thursday.

Left-arm spinner Nasum returned with career-best figures of 4-10 as Bangladesh bowled out Afghanistan for 94 in 17.4 overs after Liton’s 60 off 44 balls guided the side to 155-8 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.

The win ended Bangladesh’s long streak of defeats in T20Is starting from the T20 World Cup in Oman and the UAE last year and gave the side a 1-0 lead in a two-match series.

Nasum picked up four wickets in his only spell, opening the bowling for Bangladesh to give the hosts a firm grip on the game as they reduced Afghanistan to 20-4 inside five overs.

Najibullah Zadran and skipper Mohammad Nabi briefly stopped the rot with a 37-run fifth-wicket stand before Shakib Al Hasan dismissed both.

Zadran, dropped on four by wicketkeeper Liton, made 27 off 26 balls. Azmatullah Omarzai staged a late fightback to score 20 off 18 balls but it was not enough.

Left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi and leg-spinner Rashid Khan struck early to reduce Bangladesh to 25-2 after Mahmudullah opted to bat first.

But Liton hit four fours and two sixes to ensure the home side made steady progress.

Afif Hossain made 25 off 24 balls and shared 46 runs with Liton for the fifth wicket.

Farooqi ended Liton’s fine innings as Azmatullah took the catch at fine leg in the 17th over.

Farooqi and Azmatullah claimed 2-27 and 2-31, respectively, for Afghanistan.

The second match of the series will be held at the same ground on Saturday.

© Agence France-Presse