England set a 157-run target for Bangladesh in the first T20I of the three-match series against England at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on Thursday.

England scored 156 runs for 6 in 20 overs, thanks to a 67-run brilliant innings from 42 balls by Jos Buttler.

Earlier, Bangladesh won the toss and opted to field first.

Bangladesh though had already played 144 matches in this format since 2006, they had faced off England just once, that too in 2021 T20 World Cup, which the Tigers lost by 8 wickets.

England started the tour well with a 2-1 win in three-match ODI series, handing the hosts their first ever series defeat in this format since 2016. They were in fact the last visitor to win a series here.

A series victory in T20 format could quell Bangladesh’s pain of losing the ODI series but team’s head coach Chandika Hathurusingha made it clear their main focus would be to build a strong team for the 2024 T20 World Cup in West Indies and USA.

BDST: 1724 HRS, MAR 09, 2023
MN/SMS