Litton urges Tigers to play without fear in UAE

Litton Das is set to embark on his new journey as Bangladesh's T20 captain with a simple but bold message to his teammates: play freely, fearlessly, and enjoy the game.

Ahead of Bangladesh's two-match T20I series against the United Arab Emirates—starting tonight at 9:00pm in Sharjah—Litton stressed the importance of playing without hesitation in a format that often demands instinctive decision-making.

"There will be just one message for everyone: 'feel free,'" Litton said in a video released by the Bangladesh Cricket Board. "In this format, a lot of thoughts come to mind. I want each player to play as freely as possible from their own position and enjoy the game. If we don't worry about results, they'll come eventually. But what matters to me is how well we stick to our process."

This series marks Litton's official debut as captain of the T20 side, a role he was handed earlier in May. With just two matches on tour, he has made it clear that a series win is the first goal—but not the only one.

"Of course, the priority is to win both matches," he said. "But I also want to see the things we've been working on over the past few weeks reflected on the field—whether it's in our batting, bowling or fielding."

The Sharjah conditions pose a challenge for Bangladesh, who are touring as visitors, while UAE are well-acquainted with their home turf. Still, Litton backed his side to adjust quickly and play competitive cricket.

"We'll try to play good cricket," he said. "UAE are a strong side at home. They play here regularly and have a good understanding of the conditions. But our team is also very good—we'll try to adapt and bring our best cricket."

For years, the term "positive cricket" has been repeated across Bangladesh's cricketing landscape, yet execution has often lagged behind. In T20s especially, the Tigers have struggled to keep up with modern demands—frequently losing momentum by losing wickets while trying to score quickly, or letting matches slip away due to expensive bowling.

Litton appears determined to shift that mindset, pushing for instinctive, process-driven cricket rather than conservative play. "I don't want the players to overthink," he said. "Play your natural game, trust yourselves, and the results will follow."

Bangladesh have faced UAE three times before in this format and emerged victorious on each occasion.