Taskin, Saif, and Litton Star as Bangladesh Beat Netherlands by 8 Wickets in Sylhet T20I

Bangladesh 138/2 (Litton 54*, Saif 36*) beat Netherlands 136/8 by 8 wickets

Player of the Match: Taskin Ahmed, Ban

Bangladesh started their T20I series against Netherlands in Sylhet with a dominant win by eight wickets. After being asked to bowl first, Bangladesh restricted the visitors to 136 for 8, thanks to brilliant spells by Taskin Ahmed and Saif Hassan. In reply, Bangladesh chased the target comfortably, finishing at 138 for 2, led by Litton Das’ quickfire 54* and Saif Hassan’s 36* off 19 balls. Taskin Ahmed, with his four-wicket haul, was named Player of the Match.

Taskin Ahmed Keeps Netherlands Under Control

Netherlands opener Max O'Dowd began aggressively, hitting three boundaries and a six in the second and third overs. However, Taskin Ahmed struck with his very first ball, dismissing O'Dowd caught at cover off a leading edge. Taskin’s accurate bowling kept the Netherlands batting lineup under pressure throughout the innings.

In his second over, Taskin removed Vikramjit Singh, further slowing the Dutch scoring. Netherlands captain Scott Edwards and Nidamanuru tried to stabilize the innings, but Saif Hassan, returning to T20I cricket after October 2023, stopped their momentum by taking two crucial wickets. Mustafizur Rahman also contributed with a wicket, leaving Netherlands five wickets down in the 13th over. Taskin picked up two more wickets in his final overs, and Netherlands added just 52 runs in the last eight overs to finish 136 for 8.

Bangladesh Batting: Emon and Tanzid Set the Tone

Chasing 137, Parvez Hossain Emon started with aggression. He hit two boundaries and a six off Aryan Dutt in the first three balls, showing confidence against the off-spinner. Tanzid Hasan also contributed with an early boundary, but Dutt applied pressure in the next over, dismissing Emon to slow down the momentum.

However, Litton Das then took charge. He played aggressively, driving Dutt through point and flicking him over midwicket. In the final over of the powerplay, Litton smashed Daniel Doram over covers for a boundary and then launched another ball down the ground for six. Tanzid Hasan continued to provide support, taking singles and rotating the strike efficiently.

By the 10th over, Bangladesh needed only 45 runs from 65 balls, keeping them comfortably in control.

Litton Das Anchors While Saif Hassan Finishes

Litton Das reached his 13th T20I half-century off just 26 balls, showing both composure and attacking intent. After settling in with seven runs off nine balls, Saif Hassan unleashed his power hitting. He came down the track to loft Tim Pringle over long-on for a six, then whipped Paul van Meekeren for a four through the leg side.

In the 14th over, Saif finished the game with two consecutive sixes off Vikramjit Singh, taking Bangladesh to victory with 6.3 overs to spare. Saif ended unbeaten on 36 off 19 balls, boosting his career T20I strike rate from 81.25 to 106.02, marking a perfect comeback. Litton added 10 runs to their unbroken 46-run partnership, showing excellent leadership under pressure.

Takeaways

This match demonstrated Bangladesh’s all-round strength. Taskin Ahmed’s fiery bowling early on put the Netherlands under immense pressure. Litton Das’ half-century guided the chase, while Saif Hassan’s cameo finished the job. Bangladesh’s bowlers kept the scoring in check and their batsmen chased the target without panic.

The Sylhet crowd witnessed a complete performance, showing that Bangladesh is a strong T20 side at home. Fans can expect an exciting series as Bangladesh looks to seal the series with confidence from this opening win.

Match Result & Stats

Team	Score
Bangladesh	138/2 (Litton 54*, Saif 36*)
Netherlands	136/8 (Nidamanuru 28, Taskin 4-28, Saif 2-18)
Player of the Match	Taskin Ahmed, BAN