Parvez Hussain Emon’s century wins Bangladesh, but everyone is impressed by the fight of the United Arab Emirates
The first T20 match between Bangladesh and United Arab Emirates (UAE) in international cricket was a wonderful mix of thrills, emotions and unexpected encounters. While BD Cricket won the match by a target of 192 runs at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, the young UAE team won hearts with their bravery, fighting spirit and love for cricket. While Parvez Hussain Imman’s blistering century gave BCB victory, the real story of the match was the incredible fightback by the UAE.
Eamon’s historic century: The only light in Tigers batting
Only the second century in the history of Bangladesh T20 cricket came from the bat of Parvez Hossain Imon. After Tamim Iqbal in 2016, Imman achieved this milestone in 19 years of T20 history. At Sharjah, he played an unbeaten innings of 108 runs with 12 fours and 6 sixes, which gave Bangladesh a respectable score of 191 runs.
But the thing to worry about is that, apart from Eamon’s century, no other batsman of BCB’s could play such a role. While Liton Das (29) and Mahmudullah (19) added some runs, the weakness of the middle order was again evident. This inconsistency in Bangladesh’s batting lineup has become a major concern ahead of the T20 World Cup.
UAE debut Battle of the Stars: The cricket world is enthralled by the battle
Although UAE are new to international cricket, their cricketing spirit has left everyone in awe. Against Bangladesh, they lost 5 wickets out of 150 runs at one stage and eventually chased down the target of 180 runs. Muhammad Wasim (46) and Alishan Sharafu (39) were particularly successful in their batting.
UAE’s bowling was also very good. Juhayed Khan (2/32) and Ayan Afzal Khan (1/24) did not allow BD Tigers to reach the 200-run mark with controlled bowling. In particular, they were able to keep Bangladesh’s middle order under pressure, which proved that their bowling unit went into the field with a strong plan.
2018 memories: BCB’s struggle against UAE
In 2018, Bangladesh narrowly won the first match of the two-match T20 series between Bangladesh and UAE. BCB were reeling for 47 runs in that match, then reached 158 runs through the partnership of Afif Hossain and Mohammad Sohan. But the match ended in a tense affair as UAE made 76/2 in 9 overs. Although Bangladesh won in the end, UAE’s struggle in that match caught everyone’s attention.
The same picture was seen in this match of 2024. Despite Bangladesh’s win, the improvement in UAE cricket is evident. The hard work, teamwork and aggressiveness in their game deserves praise.
Bangladesh T20 cricket is still an unsolved problem
- Middle Order Weaknesses: Without Eamon’s century, Bangladesh’s batting fragility was once again exposed.
- Finishing problems: Despite having 140 runs in 15 overs, Bangladesh could not reach 200 runs.
- Early run leakage in bowling: Bangladesh’s bowlers conceded a lot of runs early on, which gave the UAE a chance to claw their way back into the match.
Liton Das said after the match, “We won, but we have to be impressed with the UAE’s performance. Their confidence and fighting spirit is a lesson for us.”
Conclusion: Whoever wins, the real winner in cricket is the courage of the UAE
Although BCB won the match, the real thrill of cricket was created by the young team of the UAE. Their fight proves that in cricket, not only the big teams, but also the smaller teams have to be respected when they enter the field. Parvez Hussain Imman’s century is a big achievement for Bangladesh, but the morale and skill of the UAE cricketers really deserves congratulations.
The remaining matches of this series are expected to be more exciting. If Bangladesh wants to be ready for the T20 World Cup, they need to quickly adjust their batting and bowling. On the other hand, if the UAE continues this trend, they will soon be able to make a big splash in international cricket!
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