UAE series ends in embarrassment as Litton rues mistakes and missed opportunities

Bangladesh's T20I tour of the UAE ended in disappointment on 21 may, with the hosts securing a historic 2-1 series win and leaving captain Litton Das reflecting on errors, missed opportunities, and a humbling reality check.

In the deciding third T20I in Sharjah, Bangladesh crumbled to 84 for 8 before a late recovery saw them post 162. But the total proved insufficient as the UAE chased it down with seven wickets in hand and five balls to spare — marking one of the most significant series wins in their cricketing history against a Full Member side.

Litton was frank in his post-match assessment. "Obviously, our performance was not up to the mark. When you come to play, you always expect to win. But this is part of life," he said.

Although Bangladesh had managed 199 and 202 in the first two matches, they failed to take control in either game. In the final match, their top order collapsed under pressure. "We made mistakes while batting," Litton admitted. "Given the pitch and the conditions, we couldn't play the way we wanted to. Sometimes the opposition performs really well, and they deserve credit."

A consistent factor throughout the series was the heavy dew, which made defending totals increasingly difficult. "Dew definitely played a big part. We bowled second in all three matches," Litton noted.

Despite the defeat, the skipper tried to draw attention to individual performances that offered promise. "Emon and Tanzid batted well. Hridoy and Jaker also played good innings. In the middle overs, a couple of bowlers did well. But we still have to keep learning and applying those lessons in matches," he said.

This series marked the beginning of Litton's full-time leadership tenure until the 2026 T20 World Cup — but instead of a smooth start, it served as a wake-up call. "Just thinking about winning without putting in the right performance doesn't help. We have to accept defeat too," he added.

He also acknowledged the UAE's confident and composed cricket across the three games. "They bowled well early, which made it hard for us to score. And when they batted, they handled the pressure with maturity. Their batters didn't panic, and they fully deserve the credit."

Litton particularly praised the hosts' calmness during high-pressure moments. "In the final over, they needed just one run off six balls. That shows how confident they were. They played with courage."

Bangladesh now head to Lahore for another three-match T20I series against Pakistan, starting on 28 may. For Litton and his side, the priority is clear: to regroup, take responsibility, and show significant improvement.

"We weren't good enough in this series. But there were some positives. We'll need to build on those and improve further," Litton concluded.