Sharjah. UAE etched an historic moment at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Monday night when they stunned Bangladesh by two-wickets chasing a mammoth target of 206 runs. Skipper Muhammad Waseem led from the front cracking 82 runs off 42 balls studded with nine boundaries and five sixes to not only exhibit his bathing prowess but his positive approach as well. Waseem and the UAE coach, former Indian opener Lalchand Rajput, believed that they can do the impossible, and they did in style to level the series. This series, which began as a two-match series, has now been extended through an additional T20I match to be played on May 21. It was UAE’s first ever T20 International win over Bangladesh.
Waseem, after winning the toss, was hoping to restrict Bangladesh to around 160 runs. But they went on to score 205 for 5 through opener Tanzid Hasan’s quick 59 off 33 balls made up of eight boundaries and three sixes and Towid Hridoy’s 45 runs off 24 balls with three boundaries and two sixes. Since Bangladesh’s total was higher than their 191 for 7 in the first match of the series, it seemed like UAE would lose the match and the series.
But opener Waseem and his partner Muhammad Zohaib batted without being affected by the huge task ahead of them. It was an exhibition of how to go about chasing a mammoth score focusing more on the deliveries to be hit rather than the score board. They put on 107 runs in the first 10 overs before Zohaid fell for 38 off 34 balls with three boundaries and two sixes.
Waseem stood like a giant amidst the mounting pressure carrying his team to 148 in 14.5 overs before he fell. Asif Khan (19) and Alishan Sharafu (13) perished attempting to maintain the run flow. The dramatic last moments were carved by Dhruv Parashar, who hit 11 off seven balls, which included a towering six during the crucial moment of the game. Haider Ali, proving that he has nerves of steel, carried UAE to victory when 12 runs were needed off the last over through an unbeaten 15. Together with Matiullah Khan (1n.o), Haider hit the winning run with one ball to spare.
It was sheer joy to record the details of this dramatic match which will forever sparkle as an example of how a team which was not fancied to win withstood the odds and earned glory.
Two debutants and the toss
UAE won the toss and elected to field. The match began with the news that Bangladesh’s last match star performer and century maker Parvez Hossain Emon was rested owing to a groin injury. UAE also made a few changes with Saghir Khan making his T20I debut and Aryansh Sharma donning the wicketkeeping gloves instead of Rahul Chopra. For Bangladesh, pacer Nahid Rana made his T20I debut. Rana had already played seven Tests and four ODIs.
Aggressive start
Bangladesh began with left-handed Tanzid Hasan, who opened the batting along with skipper Litton Das. Tanzid hit the fourth ball of the match off Matiullah Khan for a six over mid-wicket. He also hit the fifth ball for a boundary over the bowler’s head and another boundary over extra cover. Seventeen runs came off the first over.
Litton dropped at 10
Tanzid also hammered Haider Ali, who bowled the second over, over mid-wicket. The third over from Dhruv Prashar was eventful. Tanzid hit his first delivery over mid-off for a boundary while Litton hit the third and fourth deliveries for boundaries past extra cover. Litton escaped being caught at his score on 10 to the last ball of that over when Jawadullah dropped him at short-fine leg. Haider bowled a tight fourth over giving away just three runs.
Tanzid reaches 50 with a six.
Tanzid turned more aggressive in the fifth over hitting Jawadullah for two boundaries and a six. By the end of the powerplay, Bangladesh were 66 for no loss with Tanzid reaching his half century in 25 balls through a six off Haider over deep square leg. He had hit seven boundaries and three sixes, 46 of those runs coming from boundaries or hits over the boundary. Saghir got to bowl his debut over and Litton hit his fourth delivery over deep square leg for a six while Tanzid hit his last delivery for a straight six.
Breakthrough by debutant Saghir
Bangladesh lost their first wicket at the score on 90 to the first ball of the tenth over from Saghir. He had Tanzid caught by Matiuallah at deep square leg for 59. His knock off 33 balls had eight boundaries and three sixes. Najmul Hossain Shanto joined Litton, and at the half-way mark, Bangladesh were 94 for 1 at the half way mark.
Litton falls for 40
Shanto went for his shots right away and hit Prashar for a six over long on. Litton then picked the gap through backward point for another boundary. Shanto also smashed Matiullah Khan for two consecutive boundaries in the 12th over. Jawadullah struck in the 13th over ending Litton’s knock of 40 by getting him caught by Saghir Khan at deep mid-wicket. Litton and Shanto had put on 35 runs in 20 balls for the second wicket.
Banglesh’s last five overs
Towhid Hridoy joined Shanto with seven overs to go. Skipper Waseem bowled a tight 14th over giving away just seven runs. At the end of the 15th over, Bangladesh were 145 for 2. Waseem, who bowled the 16th over, was hit by Hridoy for a boundary to backward square leg and six over long-on. Fifteen runs were scored off that over. Jawadullah struck in the 17th over to take the valuable wicket of Shanto, caught by Parashar at deep point for 27. He gave away only five runs in that over. Shanto and Hridoy had put on 38 runs in 25 balls for the third wicket.
Jawadullah hit for 20 runs
Hirdoy picked two consecutive boundaries off Saghir, who wavered in his length in the 18th over. Jaker Ali thrashed Jawadullah for a six over fine leg and a boundary past the extra cover. He also smashed Jawadullah for a six over mid-wicket. Jaker fell to the fourth ball of that over caught by Chopra at mid-off. When Shamim Hossain too hit a boundary off Jawadullah, 21 runs were scored off the 19th over, ensuring Bangladesh crossed the 200-run mark. Hirdoy’s knock of 45 ended in the last over when he was caught and bowled by Saghir.
UAE’s yet another good start
It was a dramatic start to the UAE innings with opener Zohaib getting dropped off the first ball of the innings by Shanto at wide slip off Shoriful Islam. From the second over, Waseem displayed his aggression picking a boundary off the first ball off Tanvir Islam and a six off the last ball of that over. Waseem continued to strike freely and so did Zohaib, who hit a six of Tanzim Hasan over mid-wicket.
Rana’s strange debut over
Nahid Rana started his debut over with a no ball. In fact, the ball slipped off his hand and bounced twice before reaching the keeper. He bowled a beamer for his free hit and got smashed by Zohaib for a six. UAE reached the 50-run mark in 4.2 overs. Rana’s third and fourth delivers were smashed for boundaries by Waseem. In his debut over, Ran thus gave away 18 runs. At the end of five overs, UAE were 56 for no loss compared to Bangladesh’s 54 for no wicket. Both the openers had scored 25 runs each.
Waseem at his aggressive best
Waseem’s six off Tanzim was a treat to watch. He picked the ball from outside the off to hit over mid-wicket with brilliant timing. He also treated Tanvir Islam the same way slog-sweeping him for a six over long-on. Leg break googly bowler Rishad Hossain bowled a brilliant eighth over giving away only four runs. Waseem smashed Rana through the covers for a boundary and smashed him past mid-off for another to reach his second successive half century in 25 balls. It was his 22nd T20I half century too. He celebrated it with another boundary over backward point to take 14 runs off that over.
UAE’s reached the 100-run mark in 9.2 overs. Bangladesh had scored only 94 for 1 at this stage.
UAE needed 99 runs off the last ten overs. Tanvir Islam provided the breakthrough with the first ball of the 11th over. He had Zohaib slice to Shamim Hosain at deep point for 38. Zohaib’s knock off 34 balls had three boundaries and two sixes. Rahul Chopra joined Waseem but lasted only four balls to score two runs falling to Rishad. He got a leading edge to a pull and got caught by Nahid.
Challenge of scoring 92 runs off 48 balls
Waseem, when on 65, was dropped by Hridoy of Rishad at long-off. Rishad bowled a brilliant 12th over giving away just four runs. With 92 runs needed off 48 balls, Waseem hit Tanvir Islam for a six over long on and a boundary past fine leg to take 12 runs off the 13th over. Asif Khan punished Tanzim’s third delivery to pick a boundary to square leg. Waseem followed it up hitting Tanzim’s fifth delivery for a six over the bowler’s head. He even smashed the last ball of that over for another six over extra cover.
End of Waseem’s knock
When UAE needed another 60 runs off 36 balls and were ahead of the required run rate too, Waseem edged Shoriful Islam to wicketkeeper Jaker, who flew like a bird to his right to scoop the catch. Waseem’s 82 off 42 balls had nine boundaries and five sixes. Alishan Sharafu joined Asif with 57 runs needed off the last five overs. Shoriful gave away only three runs in that over.
Asif falls dashing hopes
Although Sharafu hit Rana for two consecutive boundaries, Rana removed the dangerous Asif with the fifth ball – caught and bowled for 19. His first T20I wicket came at a crucial time. Saghir Khan joined Sharafu when 48 runs were needed off the last 25 balls. He hit Rishad for as six to long-on but fell to his fifth delivery, caught at long-off by Hridoy.
Last three overs drama begins
With 35 runs needed off the last 18 balls, Aryansh Sharma hit Rana for a six but fell caught bowled to the third ball of the over. Rana tightened the grip giving away only the six from that over. When Sharafu too hit Shoriful straight to Hridoy at long off for 13, UAE needed another 29 runs off the last 11 balls. Haider Ali hit a six off Shoriful to make it 17 runs off seven balls. To make matters worse, Shoriful gave away five runs attempting a direct run-out hit.
The last over drama
Twelve runs were needed off the last over for the UAE. Tanzim bowled a wide off the first ball and gave a single to Haider to make it 10 off five balls. Parashar hit a six to make it four runs off the last four balls. Tanzim then clean bowled Parashar for 11 with the third delivery. With four runs needed off the last three, Matiullah took a single. With three needed off last two balls, Tanzim bowled a no-ball for height. Haider Ali slashed the fifth ball to pick the required two runs and record a historic two-wicket win.
Captains’ observation.
An emotion-filled Waseem said: “I have no words. I am very happy we beat Bangladesh. We will go with our strength (in the third game) and hopefully we can make it 2-1.” Bangladesh skipper Litton remarked: “Any loss is hard, but we still batted well on this wicket. The wicket was pretty good. You can have good days and bad days. We will sit and talk and come back.”
Brief scores:
UAE bt Bangladesh by two wkts. Bangladesh 205 for 5 in 20 overs (Tanzid Hasan 59, Litton Das 40, Najmul Hossain Shanto 27, Towhid Hridoy 45, Muhammad Jawadullah 3 for 45, Saghir Khan 2 for 36) UAE 206 for 8 in 19.5 overs (Muhammad Zohaib 38, Muhammad Waseem 82, Shoriful Islam 2 for 34, Nahid Rana 2 for 50, Rishad Hossain 2 for 28)
Player of the Match: Muhammad Waseem
