From the moment the UAE vs Bangladesh T20I series was extended from two to three matches, the belief of winning the series took root within the UAE camp — revealed Alishan Sharafu, the hero of their historic victory.
Interestingly, when the third match was announced, the second hadn’t even begun. Bangladesh had already won the first match and led the series. Still, the UAE believed they could turn things around. According to Sharafu, the dressing room was buzzing with talks of a potential series win the very moment they heard about the additional match.
And they backed their belief with action. In the second match, the UAE chased down a massive target of 205 — securing their first-ever win over Bangladesh in T20Is. Riding on that momentum, they sealed the series in the third match with a convincing seven-wicket win. Alishan Sharafu starred in the decider, scoring a brilliant 68* and earning the Player of the Match award.
Although the series was originally planned as a two-match affair, the announcement of a third match sparked a dream within the team. Sharafu, reflecting on the journey after winning the series, said:
“Everyone was really excited. When the third match was announced, everyone became hopeful. In the dressing room, we talked about how we could win. We wanted to take it one game at a time, and everything went exactly that way.”
Back in 2023, the UAE had defeated New Zealand in a one-off T20I but failed to win the series. This time, they finally erased that frustration.
The UAE had previously tasted a T20I series victory over a full ICC member only once — a 2-1 win over Ireland in 2021. But the triumph against Bangladesh feels even bigger.
Naturally, UAE captain Muhammad Waseem was overjoyed.
“I’m very happy with this win. Congratulations to our management, our board. Thanks to the coaching staff, head coach, physio, analyst, trainer — everyone. I’m very proud to make history.”
“This series win means a lot to us. It will help us in the future. The way the boys played — Alishan, Asif, Rahul with the bat, Haider with the ball — I’m so pleased. I have no words to describe this moment.”
Waseem, often the backbone of the UAE’s batting, had a strong series. He scored a fifty in the first match and an explosive 82 off 42 balls in the second. However, in the final game, he was dismissed for just 9 runs. The celebration from the Bangladesh side at his wicket looked as if they had already won the match.
But even after his early exit, Waseem never lost faith in his team.
“To be honest, we never gave up. I kept telling everyone that we could win. We’re used to these conditions. We had the belief. I’m very happy.”
The UAE chased down the target in the third match thanks to an unbeaten 87-run partnership off 51 balls between Alishan Sharafu and Asif Khan. Earlier, debutant Haider Ali made a huge impact with the ball, finishing with outstanding figures of 3 for 7 in 4 overs.
This series win ranks among the greatest achievements in UAE cricket history.
