Abu Dhabi: Captain Litton Das took charge with a match-winning half-century as Bangladesh secured their first victory in the ongoing Asia Cup, overcoming Hong Kong by seven wickets in Abu Dhabi. In pursuit of 144 runs, Bangladesh achieved the target in 17.4 overs, with Litton's impressive 59 off 39 balls paving the way for the win.
Litton, who was named Player of the Match, emphasized the significance of this opening victory for his team.
"Winning the first game is very important. In the last few series, we have played well. However, in the Asia Cup, there is a bit of pressure that comes naturally (smiles). We performed well today," the captain stated, as reported by ESPNcricinfo.
He acknowledged the advancements in Bangladesh's pace attack over recent years and also pointed out the rise of leg-spinner Rishad Hossain.
"Our pace department has been performing exceptionally well in the last couple of years. We were in search of a leg-spinner, and Rishad has emerged in the last two or three years," Litton remarked.
Regarding the pitch in Abu Dhabi, Litton conceded that hitting big shots right away was challenging.
"It wasn't easy to strike every ball; the ground is large, so you need to focus on singles and twos," he clarified.
Bangladesh achieved their first win of this year's Asia Cup by defeating Hong Kong by seven wickets in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday. In pursuit of 144 runs, captain Litton Das played a pivotal role, scoring a vital half-century to lead his team to victory in 17.4 overs.
Parvez Hossain Emon and Tanzid Hasan failed to give Bangladesh the perfect start, with Emon getting out after making 19, resulting in the loss of the first wicket at 24 runs.
The next wicket fell when Tanzid Hasan was dismissed after scoring 14 runs.
The match's turning point came when Litton Das and Towhid Hridoy formed a significant partnership of 95 runs. Litton was dismissed with just two runs needed, having scored an impressive 59 off 39 balls, which included six fours and one six.
Towhid Hridoy remained not out at the end, scoring 35 runs off 36 balls, including one boundary.
For Hong Kong, Ateeq Iqbal was the standout bowler, finishing with figures of 2 for 14.
Previously, outstanding performances from Bangladesh bowlers Taskin Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, and Rishad Hossain limited the Hong Kong Cricket Team to a total of 143 runs, losing seven wickets in their 20 overs.
Bangladesh requires 144 runs in their 20 overs to secure victory in the match.
Earlier in the game, Bangladesh captain Litton Das won the toss and chose to bowl first. After losing the toss, Hong Kong openers Zeeshan Ali and Anshuman Rath took to the field to start the innings.
The Hong Kong team did not achieve the desired start, losing Anshuman (4) when the team total was just seven runs. He was dismissed by right-arm seamer Taskin Ahmed in the second over of the innings.
Following the opener's dismissal, right-handed batter Babar Hayat (14) came to the crease. At a score of 30 in the fifth over, Hayat was sent back to the pavilion, bowled by right-arm pacer Tanzim Hasan Sakib. After Hayat's wicket, right-handed batter Nizakat Khan entered the field. The Hong Kong Cricket Team reached the 50-run milestone on the second ball of the ninth over when Zeeshan Ali hit a six off leg-spinner Rishad Hossain.
At a score of 71, Hong Kong lost their third wicket as Zeeshan Ali (30) was dismissed, bowled by Tanzim Hasan Sakib. Following the fall of the third wicket, captain Yasmin Murtaza came to bat for his team.
The Hong Kong side achieved the 100-run mark on the penultimate ball of the 15th over, with Murtaza hitting a six off off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz.
At a score of 117 in the 18th over, Murtaza was run out, with Rishad Hossain as the fielder and Mustafizur Rehman as the bowler.
In the 19th over, with the score at 134, Rishad Hossain took two wickets on the last two balls, first dismissing Nizakat Khan (42) and then Kinchit Shah (0).
On the second ball of the 20th over, Taskin Ahmed got Aizaz Khan (5) out. In the final over, nine runs were scored, bringing the Hong Kong total to 143/7 after their 20 overs.
For Bangladesh, Taskin Ahmed (2/38), Tanzim Hasan Shakib (2/21), and Rishad Hossain (2/31) each took two wickets in their four-over spells.
With this win, Bangladesh has started their tournament campaign and aims to gain momentum in their upcoming matches.
Brief Scores: Hong Kong 143/7 in 20 overs (Nizakat Khan 42, Zeeshan Ali 30; Tanzim Hasan Sakib 2/21) vs Bangladesh 144/3 in 17.4 overs (Litton Das 59, Towhid Hridoy 35*; Ateeq Iqbal 2/14).
