Bangladesh 169 for 5 (Miraz 46, Mosaddek 27, Aayan 2-33) beat UAE 137 for 5 (Rizwan 51*, Hameed 42, Mosaddek 2-8) by 32 runs
Bangladesh predictably claimed the hastily arranged two-match T20I series against the UAE, beating the home side by 32 runs in the second game in Dubai. The visitors would be relieved with the two wins under their belt in a season of slim pickings, but UAE, too, will be heartened by their performances in these matches.
Aggressive batters fall softly
Bangladesh were generally a little more forceful during this innings as opposed to their timid start in the first game. But still, the batters’ intent didn’t translate to good starts. Sabbir Rahman struck a four and a six before being given out lbw, playing a lap sweep in the fourth over. Litton Das, on the comeback trail after missing the Asia Cup, looked in good touch hitting four boundaries in his first 19 balls, but then his uppish square-cut looped to point.
Afif Hossain, who made a career-best unbeaten 77 in the last game, also took a similar route. He dinked one towards square-leg, playing a half-shot to an Aayan Azal Khan full-toss. Karthik Meiyappan took a great catch diving forward, but it looked like a huge waste of a wicket for Afif.
Miraz keeping the faith
Good news for Bangladesh is how Mehidy has taken to opening the batting. His 46 off 37 balls contained five fours, but his pacing of the innings should be encouraging for the team management. After allowing Sabbir, Litton and Afif to dominate, he took on the mantle when Mosaddek took a bit of time to get settled.
Mehidy has also developed a few shots that is helping him score regularly during and after the powerplay overs. He plays the cut and the pull freely in the air, but when the field is spread, he plays the percentage shots quite well.
UAE claw back
Keeping Bangladesh down to 43 runs in the last five overs would be something that captain Rizwan and coach Robin Singh can take heart from. Zahoor Khan, who replaced Junaid Siddique for this game, gave away 30 runs in three of those overs, but more importantly foxed Nurul Hasan and Yasir Ali several times with his change of pace.
Zawar Farid and Meiyappan too bowled well during the end of the innings, ensuring they preyed on Bangladesh’s lack of intent. The visitors finished on just two sixes and a four in the last 30 balls, even though they looked well set on 126 for 4 after 15 overs.
Bangladesh take four early
Chirag Suri, top-scorer for the UAE in the first game, couldn’t connect properly for two overs, before eventually skying one towards cover. The bowler, Nasum Ahmed, completed the easy catch, as the UAE began to stutter. After hitting two sixes off Nasum, Muhammad Waseem was trapped lbw by Taskin in the sixth over, before things got worse for the home side.
Mosaddek removed Aryan Lakra and Vritya Aravind off successive balls in his first over, to reduce the UAE to 29 for 4 in the seventh over. Lakra holed out to Mohammad Saifuddin at cover, while Aravind missed a delivery that spun back on to his stumps as he went back to cut the ball.
Rizwan, Hameed dig deep
Bangladesh could have shut up shop but allowed the game to meander. It meant Hameed and Rizwan rebuild the UAE innings, adding 90 runs in the following 11.5 overs. Yasir Ali helped them along the way by dropping Rizwan on 13 at the deep square-leg boundary.
But the pair scampered hard for ones and twos, while peppering the scoring with a number of boundaries. Hameed’s four boundaries included a risky ramp shot off the stumps against Saifuddin. Rizwan reached his fifty with a rasping cover drive in the penultimate over, but he was left with too much to do by himself.
Mohammad Isam is ESPNcricinfo’s Bangladesh correspondent. @isam84