Taskin Ahmed put on a tremendous bowling display as his 4-wicket haul floored the Netherlands batters. Taskin Ahmed looked determined to perform as his 4-wicket haul helped Bangladesh first restrict Netherlands to a below par score and then chased the target down with ease. Putting Netherlands into bat first, Bangladesh rode on Taskin Ahmed’s 4-wicket haul to keep Netherlands to 136/8 in 20 overs.
Chasing 137 for the win, Bangladesh completed that with ease riding on an unbeaten 54 off 29 balls from captain Litton Das and Saif Hassan chipping in with an unbeaten 36 off 19 balls as well after the openers also got off to a good start. It meant that Bangladesh chased down the target in 13.3 overs to take a 1-0 lead in the 3-match series with a dominant win.
Taskin Ahmed’s 4/28 Restricts Netherlands to 136/8.Â
Put into bat first, Vikramjit Singh and Max O’Dowd came out to open the batting for Netherlands while Mahedi Hasan had ball in hand for Bangladesh. Mahedi bowled a decent over. Shoriful Islam came to bowl the next over. Max O’Dowd got the first boundary off the game hitting Shoriful for a boundary through point region. He was in the zone now as he hit two more boundaries off Shoriful. He then took the attack to Mahedi launching him for the maximum.
Taskin Ahmed came into the attack and immediately got his reward as he dismissed Max O’Dowd for 23 off 15 balls with 3 fours and a maximum to his name. He bowled a length delivery from over the wicket attacking the stumps. Max tried to flick and got the leading edge straight to the fielder at short covers where Jaker Ali made no mistake. Teja Nidamanuru came out to bat next. Shoriful bowled a tidy over.
Mustafizur Rahman came into the attack to bowl the final over of powerplay. Nidamanuru managed to get a boundary over extra covers. At the end of the powerplay, Netherlands were 34/1. Mahedi continued after the powerplay and kept the run rate under check. Taskin Ahmed got another wicket as he now dismissed Vikramjit Singh for 4 off 11 balls.
Taskin bowled a length delivery outside the off-stump, Taskin enticed the batter for the big slog as Vikramjit mistimed the flat bat heave down to long-on where Emon took the catch. Captain Scott Edwards came out to bat next and got off the mark. Nidamanuru launched Taskin over deep square leg for the maximum. He then hit Taskin through deep point for a boundary swatting him away. Rishad Hossain came into the attack next. Edwards reverse swept Hossain for a boundary at third man.
Saif Hassan came into the attack next as Nidamanuru hit him for a boundary through fine leg region. Saif then got the prized scalp of captain Scott Edwards for 12 off 7 balls with a boundary to his name. Saif floated it up fuller near the off-stump, Scott lost his shape trying to sweep the ball. The batter mistimed the stroke and the ball went high and towards deep square leg where Jaker ran in to put in the dive to take the ball with firm hands. Shariz Ahmad came to the crease next.
Saif got another one in the over as Nidamanuru fell for 26 off 26 balls with 3 fours and a maximum to his name. Saif from over the wicket tossed it up with a bit of air on a fuller length. Teja went for the heave and the ball came off the toe end of the bat. The batter miscued it as the ball went to Towhid Hridoy at deep midwicket who leaned forward and grabbed it with both hands. Noah Croes came out to bat next. At the halfway stage of the innings, Netherlands were 68/4 in 10 overs.
Mahedi Hasan came back into the attack and kept the run rate under check. Shariz broke the shackles a little bit by hitting Saif Hassan via a reverse sweep. The Fizz returned to the attack and got rid of Shariz Ahmad for 15 off 14 balls with a boundary to his name. Mustafizur bent his back and banged it in short on the stumps which was an effort ball from the bowler. Shariz sat back and went for the pull shot and got big on him. He got a top edge in front of square where Jaker from midwicket moved forward and took the catch. Kyle Klein came out to bat next and got off the mark as well.
Rishad Hossain returned and bowled a tidy over. Shoriful Islam came back as well as Klein got a boundary away to break some of the shackles being applied by Bangladesh. After 15 overs, Netherlands were 98/5. Taskin returned to the attack as the 100 came up for the Dutch in 15.1 overs. Taskin then got rid of Klein for 9 off 12 balls with a boundary to his name. Taskin bowled an off-cutter on a good length on the stumps, Klein swung at it but got deceived by the change of pace. He was pretty early into the shot and one hand came off the bat. The ball went to long-on where Hridoy took the catch.
Tim Pringle came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway. Mustafizur returned and bowled a miserly over. Croes managed to hit Taskin for a boundary but Taskin hit back and got his fourth of the night as he got rid of Croes for 11 off 13 balls with a boundary to his name. Taskin rolled his fingers and bowled an off-cutter around off-stump, Croes came down the track and looked to lift it over mid-off but completely miscued it off the outer half. Saif from covers moved to his right and completed a simple catch.
Aryan Dutt came to the crease next and got off the mark with a delightful boundary through mid-off. Pringle managed to get a much-needed boundary off Mustafizur. Pringle slammed Shoriful for the maximum over the midwicket region. Pringle was run out for 16 off 14 balls with one four and one six to his name. He tried to take a second run which was not there and was short of his ground despite the dive from him. Aryan Dutt was unbeaten on 13 off 8 balls with a boundary to his name. 7 extras given by the fielding side as Netherlands finished with 136/8.
Taskin Ahmed was the pick of the bowlers for Bangladesh with excellent figures of 4/28 in 4 overs. Saif Hassan chipped in with 2/18 in 2 overs. Mustafizur Rahman chipped in with 1/19 in 4 overs. Mahedi Hasan kept it tight with his 0/21 in 4 overs. Shoriful Islam gave away 30 runs in 4 overs while Rishad Hossain gave away 16 runs in 2 overs. There was also a run out in the innings. This meant Bangladesh needed 137 to win off 20 overs to go 1-0 up in the 3-match series.
Litton Das’ Unbeaten Half-Century Takes Bangladesh Over The Line.Â
Chasing 137 for the win, Parvez Hossain Emon and Tanzid Hasan came out to bat for Bangladesh while Aryan Dutt had ball in hand for the Netherlands. Emon made his intentions clear as he smashed Dutt for back-to-back boundaries and followed that up with a maximum over midwicket. Kyle Klein took the new ball from the other end as Tanzid greeted him with a boundary at backward square leg.
Dutt got rid of Emon for 15 off 9 balls with 2 fours and a maximum to his name. Aryan bowled an arm ball on a length outside off-stump from wide off the crease. Emon played for the turn and hung his bat away from the body. He got beaten on the inside edge as the ball cannoned into the top of middle and leg stump. Captain Litton Das came out to bat and got off the mark with a brace.
Daniel Doram came into the attack next. He bowled a decent over keeping things under check. Das then took on Aryan Dutt hammering him for back-to-back boundaries. The captain then took the attack to Doram reverse sweeping him for the maximum over deep third man and then hitting a boundary through the point region. After 6 overs at the end of powerplay, Bangladesh were cruising at 57/1.
Paul van Meekeren came into the attack after the powerplay. He bowled a decent over. Shariz Ahmad was brought on into the attack. Das took him on as well hitting him for consecutive boundaries via a slog sweep and and inside out shot over covers. Kyle Klein returned as Tanzid flicked a low full toss off him to deep fine leg fence. Das then climbed onto Klein by launching him over deep backward square leg for the maximum.
Tim Pringle was introduced into the attack and he got a wicket straightaway dismissing Tanzid Hasan for 29 off 24 balls with 2 fours to his name. Pringle bowled a full toss from over the wicket outside off-stump, Tanzid stepped down and looked to muscle it over long-on. He didn’t get the timing right and went straight into the hands of Max O’Dowd who made no mistake near the ropes and took a fine catch. Saif Hassan came out to bat next and got off the mark as well.
After 10 overs, at the halfway stage of the chase Bangladesh were 95/2 and needed 42 more runs to win off 60 balls. Litton hit Doram through the point region for a boundary as the 100 came up for Bangladesh in 10.4 overs. Soon, Litton Das reached his half-century off 26 balls. Saif Hassan joined in the party as he smashed Pringle over long-on for the maximum. Van Meekeren got hit for a boundary by Saif between midwicket and long-on.
Vikramjit Singh came onto bowl now as Saif Hassan decided enough is enough and smashed the part-time bowler for back-to-back sixes over deep square leg and then over long-off for the maximum to finish the game off in style. He remained unbeaten on 36 off 19 balls with one four and 3 sixes to his name while Litton Das remained unbeaten on 54 off 29 balls with 6 fours and 2 sixes to his name. 4 extras given by the fielding side as Bangladesh aced the chase in 13.3 overs taking a 1-0 lead in the 3-match series.
Aryan Dutt and Tim Pringle with a wicket each but most of the other bowlers struggled for control and failed to create any pressure on Bangladesh. So, Bangladesh win by 8 wickets with 39 balls to spare to take a 1-0 lead in the 3-match series. For his outstanding bowling display, Taskin Ahmed was awarded Player of the Match.
What Lies Ahead.Â
So, Bangladesh have a 1-0 lead in the 3-match T20I series. The next match is slated to take place on Monday September 1st at Sylhet from 5:30 PM IST. All matches will be at Sylhet. The Dutch will be in a must-win situation to level the series.
Can the Netherlands fight back and level the series 1-1 to force a decider? Or will Bangladesh drive home the advantage and momentum they have with themselves and win the series on Monday itself. We shall find out all the answers on Monday itself when the second T20I comes your way from Sylhet.
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