A competitive 205 a challenging yet achievable target in T20 cricket on any pitch was not enough for Bangladesh to defend against the United Arab Emirates. In a thrilling encounter in Sharjah, the UAE clinched a dramatic two-wicket victory with just one ball to spare, marking their first-ever win against Bangladesh in any format of the game.
With such a substantial total on the board, where does the blame lie? Captain Liton Das faces questions over batting, bowling, or fielding lapses. While the batters delivered, the bowlers particularly debutant Nahid Rana and Tanjim Hasan Sakib struggled to contain the UAE‘s chase, leaking runs in the death overs. Two dropped catches further compounded the pressure, leaving bowling and fielding as clear weak points.
Bangladesh 205/5 vs 206/8 UAE
Yet, Liton attributed the loss to an external factor: the Sharjah dew. Speaking at the post-match presentation, he said, “Any defeat is tough to take. We batted well on a good wicket, but the dew gave them an advantage when they batted. Still, we fought hard.”
When asked about lessons from the loss, Liton again pointed to the conditions: “On a small ground like this, dew plays a big role you have to factor that in while bowling.”
Pacer Nahid Rana, who impressed in Tests and ODIs, had a shaky T20 debut, conceding 19 runs in his first over. Though he picked up two wickets, his figures of 50 runs in four overs proved costly. Liton acknowledged his struggles, saying, “We expected more from him, but every player has good and bad days.”
The defeat raises questions about Bangladesh’s ability to close out games, even with a strong total, while UAE celebrates a landmark triumph.