Litton Das led from the front and struck a match-winning fifty to steer Bangladesh to a thrilling four-wicket victory over Ireland in the second T20I on November 29. Litton's explosive 57 runs off just 37 balls helped Bangladesh successfully chase down a challenging target of 171, reaching 174 for six and level the series 1-1.
Bangladesh pip Ireland by 4 wickets in 2nd T20I
Despite losing opener Tanzid Hasan cheaply, Bangladesh initially looked set for a comfortable chase as Litton Das and Parvez Hossain took charge. The pair added 60 crucial runs, with Parvez contributing 43 before being dismissed while attempting a reverse sweep.
Litton Das stands tall with 37-ball 57
Litton then found support from Saif Hasan, who added 22 runs. Litton brought up his 20th T20 half-century in spectacular fashion, reaching the milestone off just 34 balls by slog-sweeping left-arm spinner Matthew Humphreys for a six over long-on.
However, Litton's subsequent dismissal triggered a dramatic collapse, with Bangladesh losing four wickets for only 19 runs across the following 20 deliveries. The pressure was finally eased by Mohammad Saifuddin, whose seven-ball 17 not out, including a six off the first ball he faced, guided Bangladesh across the finish line with two balls to spare.
Mahedi Hasan stars with brilliant three-fer
Earlier, after winning the toss and opting to bat first, Ireland got off to a blistering start thanks to captain Paul Stirling, who smashed 29 off just 14 balls, helping his side race to 75 runs within the powerplay. Lorcan Tucker then anchored the middle order with 41 runs off 32 balls, while Tim Tector made a fluent 38 off 25. Bangladesh, however, managed to claw their way back into the contest after Stirling fell to pacer Tanzim Hasan Sakib. Spinner Mahedi Hasan was particularly effective, claiming 3 for 25 as he removed the Tector brothers and Ben Calitz in quick succession, leaving Ireland struggling at 103 for four in the 11th over. Tucker remained defiant until he was run out by Litton Das on the last ball of the innings, leaving Ireland with a competitive total of 170 for six.
The series-deciding third T20I between Ireland and Bangladesh is scheduled to be played on December 2.