oh my goodness - what is happening out there?! Proper chaos and carnage in Sharjah, and it looks like the UAE have done it. History for the UAE - they have beaten Bangladesh for the first time ever in a T20I and Haider Ali, playing just his second T20I for the nation and batting for the first time in his career in a T20I, takes them across the line, with fire in his belly but also with ice in his veins! Coming back to the ball. This was on a back of a length just outside off. Haider sliced it towards deep backward point and the batters seemed to be happy with the single. But that is when Hridoy decided to hold on to the ball for some reason, and that gave Haider the impetus and the opportunity to hustle across for the second. Not the greatest running technique with him plonking his bat back, but in the end, he made it, and that, from a UAE POV, is all that counts and all that matters at the end of this crazy, crazy game of cricket!
U.A.E. vs Bangladesh, 2nd T20I at Sharjah, UAE vs BAN, May 19 2025 - Ball by Ball Commentary
U.A.E. won by 2 wickets (with 1 ball remaining)
11:22pm That will be all from us for tonight. We hope you enjoyed our coverage and we hope to have your company for all the cricket lined up in different parts of the world over the foreseeable future. Until next time, from the entire team at ESPNcricinfo, it is goodbye!
Muhammad Waseem, the UAE captain is also the Player of the Match: I have no words. I am very happy we beat Bangladesh. Very happy with the performance. I was giving hope to everyone that we can chase this score because we know the conditions (here). We were hoping to chase it and I tried to play my natural game. (On the batting order changes) Nothing special, but we are just going with the game-plan. We wanted the runs at that time, and we went with Rahul and Asif. After the wicket of Rahul, I was trying to play long but unfortunately, gave my wicket (away) as well. We were hoping (towards the end) and had belief. Dhruv hit one six, Haider also hit one six and thankfully, we won. We will go with our strength (in the third game) and hopefully we can make it 2-1.
Litton Das, Bangladesh captain: Any loss is hard, but we still batted well on this wicket. Wicket was pretty good, when they batted, they had the favour of dew. We missed a bit in the fielding and in the middle-overs bowling. When you play on this type of ground, which is small and with dew a factor, you have to calculate and plan (as bowlers). What Rana did before (his final over), we were expecting more from him. You can have good days and bad days. We will sit and talk and come back. (On his innings) What I did is not up to the mark but I will try my best.
Here's Sampath with a few stats, encapsulating what UAE achieved tonight: UAE's chase of 206 is the highest by an associate nation against a full-member team in T20Is. The previous highest was 191 by Afghanistan against Zimbabwe in 2015. It is also the first-ever successful chase of 200-plus target in the UAE in T20Is.
11:06pm Wow. That was a game of cricket and some. UAE, it seemed, had a daunting task at the half-way stage but their captain showed them it was possible with a stellar 42-ball 82. There were cameos throughout the innings but a glut of wickets as the death-overs dawned and then during it, meant Bangladesh were ahead with a few balls remaining.
But what ensued thereafter was pure drama. Bangladesh completely lost the plot, with Shoriful conceding four needless overthrows in the penultimate over. Tanzim then travelled in the final over, and compounded his woes with a high full toss. Hridoy then completed Bangladesh's capitulation with a decision that will be dissected and will be pored over by the Bangladesh camp and by everyone watching.
There were so many twists and turns that you'd be forgiven to if you lost track. But the gist is that the UAE, after a historic run-chase, have levelled things up in the series and in a couple of days' time, will have a chance to completely turn the tables on Bangladesh, who, after tonight, will have plenty to ponder!
2 off 2. Free hit coming up...
you have got to be kidding me! This is a chest-high full toss sprayed a mile outside off. Haider swings and misses, and the non-striker, in trying to pinch another run, gets sent back. Matiullah has to sprawl and if he has not made it back, UAE will be nine down and will have just one wicket to play with. But that is not the case. Tanzim took too long and took a couple of stumps to get closer to the stumps, and that allowed the non-striker to make it back!
3 off 2. Haider on strike. A lot of instructions pouring in from the UAE dugout. Not sure how much of that can or will be processed by the batter, though. Tanzim stays over the wicket
back of a length just outside off. Matiullah nurdles it into the off side and Haider hurtles across to complete the single. Good thinking by UAE
Matiullah is the new batter in
stumps go splat, and Tanzim comes up clutch when Bangladesh needed him to! Beautifully-executed slower ball, pitching on a length just outside off and coming in with the angle. Parashar sees his name up in lights and has an ungainly swipe across the line. Misses it altogether and hears the death rattle soon after. Bangladesh right back in this, and Parashar, like his captain earlier in the evening, cannot quite fathom what he has just done!
4 off 4. Surely UAE will not botch it from here?
oh my days - Parashar has smashed that into oblivion! This is a juicy full toss on off - the kind you want when doing range hitting. Parashar, after scratching his eyes, sets himself up and demolishes it over long on. If you are on the road, haul that ball back!
full toss just outside off. Haider drills it down the ground towards mid off and takes the single. He is disappointed, though. He thinks he should have popped it over the ring!
oh goodness! Slower ball goes awry first up and this is bowled well down leg. Haider lets it go and the umpire has to indulge in more exercise
Tanzim to bowl the last over. This is anyone's game now. UAE have the momentum; Bangladesh perhaps a little more experienced. 12 needed - here we go!
oh dear - how has Shoriful missed that, and he has conceded four over-throws too! You cannot make this up! Very full just outside off. Haider shanks it back towards the bowler and sets off for the run. Shoriful has the liberty and the time to line up his throw from a few yards out and misses at the bowler's end. And to compound his woes, there was no one backing up. A really, really ordinary passage of cricket by Bangladesh!
17 off 7. UAE refusing to go away
oh, hello! Oh, hello! Dug into the track again and this is getting a little predictable now. Haider gives himself room and carves this over backward point!
shortish on middle and leg. Parashar clears his front leg and heaves it towards deep backward square leg. The throw comes in at the batter's end and Jaker appeals. Think this might be for Haider obstructing the field but the square leg umpire says nothing doing
shot! Short outside off and this sits up. Parashar also does well to pre-empt the length, standing up tall and forehanding it over mid on!
safe! Banged into the track on middle and leg. Haider is in no position to play this and hangs his bat up like a periscope. The ball hits the willow and then pops up into the spaces in the mid on region
Haider on strike
Sharafu perishes too, and with that, UAE's hopes perhaps evaporate too! Off-pace again, full and wide outside off. Sharafu advances and reaches out for it. Slams it flat and slams it straight to Hridoy, who after messing up a chance earlier in the game, makes amends by holding on. UAE's chase flagging, and Bangladesh on the verge of wrapping up a series win!
29 off 12. Bangladesh back in the driver's seat (for now). Can Sharafu change that against Shoriful?
excellent yorker to finish the over. Just outside off and Parashar cannot bring his bat down in time. Rana is disappointed that missed this stumps, but this is a top over nevertheless!
Just the one ball left in this over. UAE have not played out this over smartly, especially after a first-ball six
another short ball, just outside off. Parashar backs away and throws the kitchen sink at it, but gets nowhere close to the ball
another short ball and to a new batter, that is always a good ploy. Parashar swings and misses, and that will be another dot
Parashar in now
another miscue, and another return catch for Nahid Rana! On the shorter side outside off and Aryansh cracks under pressure. Thinks he can swipe this away merrily but Rana's pace, plus his height, means the ball gets too big on him. Splices it straight up and Rana, after completing the catch, shows how much he wanted that wicket!
banged into the track outside off. Aryansh has an ugly hack across the line and only grabs a handful of fresh air
another skier, and this goes all the way! Shortish on middle and leg. Aryansh seems to be cramped for room but somehow manages to help it over the keeper's head. Over the sightscreen too. Not sure he knew much about that, but nowhere in the scorebook is that going to be mentioned!
back of a length outside off. Aryansh goes back and flat-bats it towards long on
Aryansh to try his luck with the bat now
Over 20 • UAE 206/8
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