Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Skipper Litton Das starred with a fluent 59 off 39 balls as Bangladesh registered their first-ever T20I win over Hong Kong by cruising to a seven-wicket victory in their Asia Cup Group B game at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium on September 11. Chasing 144, Litton’s partnership of 95 off 69 balls for the third wicket with Towhid Hridoy (35 not out) helped them reach the target with 14 balls to spare. Litton’s composed fifty and right time of shift in gears ensured Bangladesh were in control of the chase after a disciplined bowling performance had restricted a spirited Hong Kong to 143 /7.
Bangladesh’s chase began with Parvez Hossain Emon taking two fours and a six off Ayush Shukla in his first 13 balls. But the young pacer eventually had the last laugh as Emon was early into the shot and top-edged to deep mid-wicket. Tanzid Hasan was next to fall, as he tried to loft pacer Ateeq Iqbal over mid-off, but was caught by mid-on running back. But Hong Kong giving 11 extras meant Bangladesh ended power-play at 51/2.
Though Litton and Hridoy kept the scoreboard ticking with some hard running between the wickets and bring up Bangladesh’s hundred in the 13th over, Hong Kong managed to keep themselves in contention by taking the pace off the deliveries and were backed by some energetic outfield fielding.
