Despite the early hiccup, Bangladesh managed to post a fighting total against UAE in the first of the two-match T20I series at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday.
Riding on Afif Hossain's unbeaten 77 off 55 balls, laced with three sixes and seven fours and skipper Nurul Hasan Sohan's 35 off 25 not out, the Tigers posted 158 for five. The duo of Afif and Sohan combined for an 81-run sixth-wciket stand off just 54 deliveries to rescue Bangladesh from yet another batting disaster in the shortest format.
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Afif, who rode his luck, being dropped twice in the innings, reached his fifty off 38 balls. He capitalised on the opportunities and went on to punish the hosts.
Sohan also played a valuable role. The right-hander smashed a six in the final ball of the innings as Bangladesh added 65 runs in the last five overs.
The Tigers' think tank once again opted for the makeshift opening pair of Mehedi Hasan Miraz and Sabbir Rahman. But the ploy didn't work.
Sabbir was the first to depart in the second over of the innings when the right-hander went for a cross-batted hoick to seamer Sabir Ali and was caught at square leg region for a duck.
Liton Das, coming in at number three, smashed three boundaries but was eventually dismissed on 13 off eight balls while Miraz was beaten by pace and handed a return catch to seamer Zawar Farid on 12 off 14 as Bangladesh reached 42 for three in the Powerplay.
Things went from bad to worse when Yasir Ali, on four, was totally undone by the googly from leg-spinner Karthik Meiyappan as Bangladesh were left reeling at 47 for four inside eight overs.
Mosaddek Hossain was stumped to become Meiyappan's second victim before Afif and Nurul helped the Tigers rebuild.
