T20 Series 

Bangladesh VS Ireland 1st T20 Match Played at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium Chattogram on 27 March 2023
Bangladesh 207/5 in 19.2 Overs (Rony Talukdar 67. Litton K Das 47. Shamim Patoyary 30, Shakib Al Hasan 20, Craig Young 2/45) 
Ireland 81/5 in 8 Overs (HaryTector 19, Paul Sterling 17, Taskin Ahmed 4/16) 
Bangladesh Won the Rain Curtailed Match by 22 Runs of Duckworth Lewis (D/L) method. 
Player of the Match: Rony Talukdar 

Flamboyant Rony Talukdar (67) and Explosive Litton K Das (47) laying the foundation of Bangladesh innings with a 91 runs first wicket partnership led the team to its third highest 207/5 T20 International score in 19.2 overs. 

If not, rain curtailed there was even chance of setting a new milestone offsetting 216. Rain curtailed the Irish Innings to 8 overs and D/L method required them scoring 104 for the win. Taskin taking career best 4/16, Hasan Mahmood , Mustafzi and Shakib bowling tight restricted the tourist to 81/5. Bangladesh won by 21 runs. One wonders how change of attitudes transferred Bangladesh completely to a self-believing hungry for win unit. 

Sent into bat Rony in his 5th innings of T20 international produced match defining 67 in 38 deliveries. He fearless stroke play epitomizes the new Bangladesh  . Him pairing with explosive Litton (47) blasting irish bowlers all around the park raced to 91 in 7.1 overs before Litton left trying to play one too many stroke. Irish bowlers had to respite as the momentum persisted. Nazmul , Shamim , Hridoy and Shakib all produced cameos . Irish bowling looked ordinary, fielding looked ragged. 207/5 was always beyond the reach of the tourist against a very aggressive bowling attack. Rain came at 19.2 overs of Bangladesh innings.

Ultimately when the match resumed D/L calculated target was revised to 104 in 8 overs for the Irish. Sterling and Adair started with a blast racing to 32 in 2 overs. Once tweeting Hasan Mahmood rocked Adair with a toe crashing yorker Taskin blew away 3 in his first over. Irish innings collapsed like a pack of card. Smart Shakib maneuvered his bowlers with precision. Ireland could go as far as 81/5 still 21 runs short. Bangladesh went 1-0 ahead in the 3 matches series. Apart from Taskin’s career best 4/16 mention must be made of a superlative catch in the deep by irresistible Mehidy Miraj. 

The matter to note that change of attitude has completely transformed Bangladesh. The new look Bangladesh looks hungry for success and well-oiled machine. This team is demonstrating the spirit of playing for one another. This is a hall mark of a great team in the making.

BDST: 1136 HRS, MAR 28, 2023
SMS