In modern cricket, almost every country is getting used to aggressive batting. And breaking and setting records in mercurial batting in the T20 format is a regular routine. However, Bangladeshi batsmen have not yet entered that category. Even in tournaments like the Asia Cup, they have shown a winning mentality in chasing the target against underpowered Hong Kong. They have even succeeded in winning!
Even today (Thursday), there was not much of a T20I innings from the Tiger batters. Captain Liton Das, however, has somewhat fulfilled that responsibility. He played an innings of 59 runs off 39 balls. However, Tawhid Hridoy, who has been criticized recently for his strike rate, batted slowly in this match as well. He was unbeaten on 35 runs off 36 balls against a team like Hong Kong.
Even after winning the match, the question has arisen as to how much Bangladesh has been able to utilize the opportunity to increase its run rate. However, Hridoy believes that Bangladesh can go to the next round even in such a situation. He said in the post-match press conference, ‘We have said before, we go out to win. If we lose to Afghanistan or Sri Lanka, then the run rate does not matter. If we think so complicatedly in advance, we put pressure on ourselves. We will try to follow our process. The rest is up to Allah.’
Bangladesh did not want to take any risks against Hong Kong. They gave more importance to the result than the run rate. Hridoy mentioned that such a plan was in place beforehand, ‘This is our team plan. As you mentioned the run rate. You are the ones who say that we are a small team. At the end of the day, every team is equal. Whenever we take the field, our goal was to finish the game as quickly as possible by all outing them. That was a plan.’
‘What happened in the (previous) series was not so much about the run rate. I don’t want to talk about the series that ended. It is not just the captain’s or coach’s decision, but everyone’s collective decision. At the end of the day, the result was important to us. That was our focus,’ Hridoy added.
Bangladesh chased down Hong Kong’s target of 144 runs in 17.4 overs on a slow wicket in Abu Dhabi. Bangladesh’s other two opponents in the Asia Cup group stage are Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. The Tigers will qualify for the Super Four only if they finish in the top two of the four-team competition. Bangladesh will play Sri Lanka tomorrow (September 13) and Afghanistan on September 16.
FAQ
What was the result of Bangladesh’s match against Hong Kong in the Asia Cup 2025?
Bangladesh defeated Hong Kong by 7 wickets, successfully chasing down the target in 17.4 overs.
Why was Towhid Hridoy criticized despite Bangladesh’s win?
Hridoy was criticized for his slow strike rate, scoring 35 runs off 36 balls, even against a weaker opponent like Hong Kong.
How did captain Liton Das perform in the match?
Liton Das played a key role, scoring 59 runs off 39 balls, helping stabilize the chase.
What did Towhid Hridoy say about Bangladesh’s approach?
Hridoy explained that Bangladesh followed a cautious team plan, focusing on securing victory rather than taking risks to improve run rate.
