Litton and Hridoy guide Bangladesh to Asia Cup opener win

At the Abu Dhabi gallery, hundreds of spectators gathered. Almost all of them were Bangladeshis. Every time their team took a wicket, they erupted in joy. But when Hong Kong's batters found the boundary, the smiles faded. And after Hong Kong's innings ended, did a little fear of defeat creep in?

How could it not! After scoring 94 runs against Afghanistan in their previous match, Hong Kong managed 143 runs today at the Sheikh Zayed International Stadium in Abu Dhabi. In the end, though, Bangladesh's seven-wicket victory meant their fans went home with smiles. Yet, perhaps a slight dissatisfaction lingered—unlike Afghanistan, Bangladesh couldn't manage a big win against Hong Kong.

That bigger win was important. Group B—dubbed the "Group of Death"—features Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh all vying for a place in the Super Four. Against comparatively weaker opposition in Hong Kong, each of the three teams would want to boost their net run rate. Sri Lanka are yet to face them.

Afghanistan managed it, but Bangladesh fell short. With their 94-run win, Afghanistan's net run rate jumped to 4.700, while Bangladesh's sits at 1.001. The disappointment mostly came from the bowling. Having won the toss and chosen to field, Bangladesh went for an lbw review in the very first over from Mehidy Hasan. But Zishan Ali survived as the umpire's call went his way.

The wait for a wicket didn't last long, though. In Taskin's following over, Anshuman Rath nicked a catch behind. Initially given not out, replays confirmed the ball had brushed his bat before carrying to Liton's gloves. But soon after, Bangladesh's frustration began to grow. In the powerplay, Hong Kong reached 34 for 2 in six overs, with Zishan and Nizakat Khan steadying the innings. Runs didn't flow freely, but they guarded their wickets well. Their 41-run partnership off 41 balls was broken in the 11th over by Tanzim, bringing some relief for Bangladesh. Thanks to captain Yasim Murtaza's effective knock later on, Hong Kong managed 143 for 7 in 20 overs.

For Bangladesh, the challenge was not only to win but also to finish the chase quickly. That urgency showed in opener Parvez Hossain's brief cameo of 19 runs off 14 balls, with two fours and a six. His innings ended quickly, though, and fellow opener Tanzid also struggled, managing just 14 off 18 balls. Every dismissal only dragged the run rate down. Bangladesh lost their third wicket with just two runs left for victory. Captain Liton, after a superb 59 off 39 balls with six fours and a six, fell bowled. His 95-run partnership with Towhid Hridoy in 69 balls had already taken Bangladesh close. Hridoy stayed unbeaten on 35 from 36 balls, steering the team home.

Yet, the doubts surrounding his form were not entirely silenced. In those 36 balls, he could manage only a single boundary. Runs may have come, but where was the T20 flair? Yes, Bangladesh secured the win today—but the sense of unfulfilment lingers.