Waseem reflects on historic UAE triumph over Bangladesh

Int'l Cricket Council

20-05-2025

After challenging Bangladesh in the first T20I of the three-game series, UAE went one better and stunned the Tigers in the second encounter by two wickets, thus tying the series 1-1.
This was their first win over Bangladesh across formats, and ensures that all will be at stake in the third T20I in Sharjah on May 21.
Skipper Muhammad Waseem led the Emirati effort during a stiff chase with a blazing 82 off 42, and was ecstatic at the outcome.
'I have no words. I am very happy we beat Bangladesh. Very happy with the performance. I was giving hope to everyone that we can chase this score because we know the conditions (in Sharjah),' Waseem said after the game.
Like the first T20I, UAE elected to bowl first, but Bangladesh batters led by Tanzid Hasan (59 from 33) and Tawhid Hridoy (45 from 24) ensured that the tourists got to 205/5 from their 20 overs.
Tawhid Hridoy goes big and into the stands
Tawhid Hridoy goes big and into the stands with a massive six
Waseem took charge early in the chase, unleashing a flurry of attacking strokes to help UAE cross the 100-run mark in the 10th over. He finished with nine fours and five sixes during his time at the crease, and by the time Shoriful Islam got the better of him, UAE were just 58 away with seven wickets in hand.
'We were hoping to chase it, and I tried to play my natural game,' Waseem described his batting effort during UAE's first successful chase over 200 runs in T20Is.
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The losing captain, Litton Das believed the side were let down by their effort in the middle overs of the chase.
'Any loss is hard, but we still batted well on this wicket. Wicket was pretty good, when they batted, they had the favour of dew. We missed a bit in the fielding and the middle-overs bowling," he said.
The game was also a trying debut for speedster Nahid Rana, who gave away 18 runs in his very first over, and despite his two wickets was taken for 50 runs across his spell. The seamer, however, did make a comeback of sorts in his final over, giving away just six runs and picking a wicket to ensure Bangladesh got back in the contest briefly but Dhruv Parasher and Haider Ali managed to see the hosts through the line.
'When you play on this type of ground, which is small and with dew a factor, you have to calculate and plan,' Litton empathised with his bowling group.
'What Rana did before,' The Bangladesh skipper added. 'We were expecting more from him. You can have good days and bad days. We will sit and talk and come back.'