UAE level series with record chase in final over thriller against Bangladesh
In a dramatic final-over thriller, the United Arab Emirates pulled off a record chase to square the series, thrashing Bangladesh’s bowling attack while hunting down a massive target of 206 runs.
It was on October 5, 2021, that Muhammad Waseem made his T20I debut. Since then, no one in world cricket has scored more T20I runs than him—and on this night, Bangladesh got a harsh reminder of just how dangerous his bat can be. But it wasn’t just Waseem. His teammates, led by a determined captain, joined the fight. Despite some late stumbles due to inexperience, UAE raced steadily towards their target, eventually reaching the finish line in dramatic fashion in the final over, scripting a memorable victory.
Even with a hefty 205 on the board, Bangladesh couldn’t defend it. UAE chased it down with two wickets in hand—marking not only their first T20I win over Bangladesh but also a record-breaking effort as they equaled the series.
Bangladesh had narrowly escaped defeat in the previous match, but this time UAE completed their fairy tale comeback. With the series now tied 1-1, the third and final match on Wednesday will be the decider.
Waseem’s Power, Haider & Parashar’s Calm
Waseem was the star of the show, smashing 82 off 42 balls with 9 fours and 5 sixes. But in the tense final moments, it was Haider Ali (15* off 6) and Dhruv Parashar (11 off 7) who held their nerve and guided the team home.
The match swung like a pendulum in the final overs. With 29 needed from the last two overs, Shariful Islam started well, dismissing Alishan Sharafu on the first ball. But he lost his rhythm soon after. Dhruv struck a boundary off the third ball, and Haider launched the fifth for a six. To make matters worse, Shariful gave away five runs from an overthrow on the last ball of the over.
Needing 12 from the final over, Tanzim Hasan Sakib started with a wide. Haider took a single, and then Parashar smacked a full toss into the stands. With four runs needed from four balls, Tanzim bowled Parashar with a slower delivery. A single came next, followed by a no-ball that added more pressure.
With two needed from two, Haider pushed the ball towards backward point. There should have been an easy two, but a slight hesitation between the batters and a delayed throw from Towhid Hridoy meant it was a close call. The throw came in, Jaker Ali broke the stumps—and the drama escalated.
Replay after replay showed Haider just managing to ground his bat in time. The TV umpire finally gave it “not out,” sparking wild celebrations from the UAE players.
Historic Chase from UAE
Never before had UAE chased down more than 179 in T20Is. But Waseem and his opening partner Zohaib Khan laid the perfect foundation. Bangladesh could’ve drawn first blood on the very first ball, but Najmul Hossain Shanto dropped Zohaib at slip off Shariful’s bowling.
That miss proved costly. Waseem and Zohaib dismantled the Bangladesh attack. Whether pace or spin, nothing worked. Debutant pacer Nahid Rana conceded 18 runs in his very first over. UAE scored 68 in the powerplay, with Waseem reaching his 50 in just 25 balls. They posted 107 in 10 overs—the first century opening stand by any associate nation against Bangladesh.
A drinks break finally brought relief for Bangladesh. On the first ball after the break, Zohaib (38 off 34) holed out trying to hit Tanvir Islam. Rahul Chopra fell soon after to Rishad Hossain for 2.
Waseem survived a sitter at long-off on 64—dropped by Hridoy—and capitalized fully, joining forces with the aggressive Asif Khan. Asif struck Tanzim for two consecutive sixes, leaving UAE needing just 60 off 36 balls with eight wickets in hand.
Captain Litton Das brought back Shariful, who delivered big. Waseem fell for 82 to a slower delivery, caught brilliantly by Jaker. Asif (19 off 12) followed in the next over, dismissed by Nahid Rana’s pace and bounce.
But UAE’s lower middle order refused to give up. Small but impactful contributions kept the chase alive. Despite late wickets and pressure, UAE’s belief never wavered—and that belief earned them a famous win.
Forgettable Debut for Nahid, Expensive Day for Tanzim
Nahid Rana’s T20I debut was one to forget, giving away 50 runs in 4 overs. Tanzim was even more expensive—conceding 55 in just 3.5 overs. Only Rishad Hossain (4-0-28-2) managed to put some brakes on UAE’s scoring.
Bangladesh’s Innings
Opting to bowl again on the same pitch, UAE left out century-maker Parvez Hossain Emon (due to a groin strain). Litton Das opened with Tanzid Hasan, and the pair gave Bangladesh a solid start with a 90-run stand in just 55 balls.
Tanzid looked aggressive from the get-go, smashing 59 off 33 balls with 8 fours and 3 sixes. He reached his fourth T20I fifty in just 25 balls, ending a long drought since his last major score.
Litton, in contrast, was more cautious. He made 40 off 32 balls but struggled to up the ante—especially given the platform. After Tanzid’s dismissal, Shanto (27 off 19) started well but couldn’t convert. He fell after a promising 19 from 8 balls, leaving once again without a big score in his 50th T20I.
During that phase, Bangladesh went 20 balls without a boundary. Towhid Hridoy injected life into the innings with a well-paced 45 off 24, while Jaker Ali added a crucial 18 from just 6 balls.
However, the final over brought just 4 runs as Hridoy fell on the first ball. Despite posting 205, Bangladesh couldn’t defend the target.
The crowd, mostly Bangladeshi supporters, were left stunned as UAE players erupted in joy.
Match Summary
- Bangladesh – 205/5 in 20 overs
- (Tanzid Hasan 59, Litton Das 40, Towhid Hridoy 45, Najmul Hossain Shanto 27, Jaker Ali 18; Muhammad Jawadullah 3-45, Saghir Khan 2-36)
- UAE – 206/8 in 19.5 overs
- (Muhammad Waseem 82, Zohaib Khan 38, Haider Ali 15*, Dhruv Parashar 11; Shariful Islam 2-34, Rishad Hossain 2-28)
Result: UAE won by 2 wickets
Series: 1-1 in 3-match series
Player of the Match: Muhammad Waseem
