Waseem reflects on historic UAE triumph over Bangladesh
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.
Muhammad Waseem sets up UAE for historic feat | Namibia v UAE | T20WC 2022
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.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Dubai Eye
a day ago
- Dubai Eye
Team Emirates-XRG makes history at Giro d'Italia
Crossing the finish line in Rome amongst the peloton, Isaac del Toro brought the 2025 Giro d'Italia to a historic close for the UAE Team Emirates-XRG - placing second overall on his debut. The Mexican cyclist becomes the second-youngest podium finisher in race history and the first from his country to ever win the young rider's classification. In fact, Del Toro is the first Mexican to ever wear the Maglia Bianca, adding this to a long list of accomplishments he has achieved over the last three weeks. It has been a stellar race for both the 21-year-old and his UAE Team Emirates-XRG teammates, all of whom took to the podium in Rome to celebrate winning the team classification. The Emirati squad end the first Grand Tour of the season with two memorable stage victories, taken by Juan Ayuso and Del Toro. The first, won by Ayuso on stage 7, saw the Spaniard triumph on the race's first summit finish, with his Mexican teammate crossing the line in second. It was a maiden Grand Tour stage victory for Ayuso, with Del Toro following suit in the third week. Through the next 11 days of racing, Del Toro came of age on the grandest stage, riding with a maturity beyond his years to have Mexico dreaming of its first Grand Tour success. In surpassing Fausto Coppi's record from the 1940 Giro d'Italia, Del Toro became the youngest rider in history to wear the Maglia Rosa for 11 consecutive stages. Ending the race with Del Toro on the podium, Brandon McNulty in 9th, victory in the team classification and a credible 7th place for Filippo Baroncini on stage 21, UAE Team Emirates-XRG can be proud of everything it has achieved between the Grande Partenza in Albania and Sunday's final stage in Rome.
Dubai Eye
a day ago
- Dubai Eye
UAE's Al Serkal finishes strong in Norway Chess Open debut
UAE's rising chess star, Rouda Al Serkal, closed her debut at the Norway Chess Open's grandmaster category with three wins, finishing with 4 points from nine rounds. The 15-year-old showed resilience after a difficult start, bouncing back from early losses to defeat Norway's Sigur H. Myny, Italy's Mauro Pivi, and France's Franck Gouanelle in her final three games. 'It was tough to start like that and then mentally recover,' Rouda said of her opening-round loss to Swedish Grand Master Platon Galperin. 'But I knew I had to regroup quickly.' Her early rounds included two draws and four defeats, including a loss to Spain's Lucia Follana Albelda after a strong start with the Caro-Kann. Despite the setbacks, she made her way to victory. 'Eventually I just found my footing,' she said. 'I stopped overthinking, trusted my training and things began to click.' Fresh off a strong campaign at the Asian Individual Women's Championship in Al Ain and a productive training block, Al Serkal entered the tournament with confidence. As the first Emirati woman to compete in the GM category at the event, her performance marks a milestone for UAE chess. 'Ending with three wins felt really special,' Rouda said. 'I'm leaving stronger than I arrived, even if I could have done better.'
Sharjah 24
a day ago
- Sharjah 24
SWSC fencing team shines at Federation Championship
Impressive medal haul The club's players succeeded in both individual and team events, capturing a sizable number of medals. Zainab Al Hosani won gold in épée with a wonderful performance on the first day of solo competitions. Aphrodite Ahmed and Reem Al Shammah won bronze medals in the same category. Mariam Al Dughaydi extended her winning streak to gold in sabre, while Afra Al Baloushi won bronze. In foil, Habiba Mohammed won silver, and Zainab Mousa took bronze. Dominance on 2nd second day On the second day, the épée team, which included Zainab Al Hosani, Al Anoud Al Saadi, Reem Al Shammah, and Aphrodite Ahmed, won gold. The sabre team, which included Afra Al Baloushi, Mariam Al Dughaydi, and Fatima Al Mulla, also won first place. The foil team finished second, led by Zainab Mousa, Habiba Mohammed, Shamma Al Muhairi, and Alia Al Alili. Topping national standing With the season's end, the club's players topped the national standings. Aphrodite Ahmed, Zainab Al Hosani, and Al Anoud Al Saadi are the top three contenders in the épée division. Habiba Mustafa tops the foil rankings, while Mariam Al Dughaydi tops the sabre rankings. This dominance highlights the team's tactical and technical superiority all season. Discipline and teamwork Head coach Hassan Al Zouwari, in charge of épée and foil, lauded the team's consistency, stating that their discipline and commitment throughout the season were vital to their outstanding success. Sabres coach Ibrahim Souissi praised the players' abilities, crediting their accomplishment to teamwork among the athletes and technical and administrative personnel. He expressed hope that this enthusiasm would carry over into future local and international events. Club's vision This successful conclusion reflects the Sharjah Women's Sports Foundation's objective of developing competitive teams in individual sports and increasing the visibility of Emirati female athletes on both national and international levels.
