- Dhaka
Liton hails Emon’s brilliant ton, urges bowlers to improve ahead of final T20I
Bangladesh captain Liton Das praised young opener Parvez Hossain Emon for his outstanding century in their 27-run win over the UAE in the first T20I at Sharjah on Saturday. However, he also emphasized the need for better bowling in the upcoming final game on Monday.
"The pitch was good for batting. The way Emon batted was truly amazing," Liton said during the post-match presentation. Emon smashed a rapid 100 from just 54 balls — the fastest T20I century by any Bangladeshi player.
Thanks to Emon’s explosive innings, Bangladesh posted 191 for seven, hitting a record 13 sixes in their innings.
Despite the big total, UAE put up a strong fight. Their captain Muhammad Waseem (54 off 39) and Rahul Chopra (35 off 22) added a 62-run partnership for the third wicket. Asif Khan later threatened to take the game away with a quick 42 off 21 balls, including three consecutive sixes against Mahedi Hasan.
Reflecting on the performance, Liton admitted his team needs to improve in key areas. "We didn’t finish well with the bat, and in the last three wickets we didn’t score enough. I still trust my bowlers to bounce back, but UAE batted well in the middle overs, and they deserve credit for that."
He added, "We need to understand this wicket better and figure out which deliveries work best here."
There were still some positives with the ball. Hasan Mahmud picked up 3 for 33 and dismissed Asif in a crucial moment. Mustafizur Rahman was economical, giving away just 17 runs and taking two wickets in his four overs.
"The confidence is there. All the bowlers remained calm and bowled well, especially in the middle overs," said Liton.
He also thanked the fans for their support. "Wherever we play, our fans show up and cheer for us. Their support is incredible."
With this win, Bangladesh lead the two-match T20I series 1-0. The final match will be played at the same ground on Monday.
Write your opinion