Bangladesh secured a vital win in the third one-day match after pacemaker Mustafizur Rahman returned from injury to dismiss England opener Henry Nicholls early in his second over.
Mustafizur, who missed the first two matches due to injury, struck with the new ball as Nicholls edged the delivery to wicketkeeper Litton Das for his first wicket of the series.
Bangladesh had earlier struggled at 32 for 3 before a resilient partnership between Najmul Hossain Shanto (119 off 105) and Litton Das (91 off 76) lifted the team to 265 for 8.
The pair added 160 runs for the fourth wicket, stabilizing the innings after the early collapse.
Later, Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Soumya Sarkar added 35 runs for the sixth wicket as Bangladesh recovered from a precarious position.
In the final stages, Bangladesh lost three wickets for just one run over six balls but still managed to defend their total effectively.
Toward the end, Mahmudullah remained unbeaten on 33 off 29 balls, providing crucial stability in the death overs.
Bangladesh’s bowlers then delivered a strong performance, conceding only 61 runs for four wickets in the last ten overs and 34 runs for three wickets in the final five.
Shanto and Litton were praised for their technical skill and resilience in rebuilding the innings after a shaky start.
Shanto reached his first century in two years, although Litton scored his first fifty in two and a half years, marking significant personal milestones.
Their 150-run partnership was instrumental in turning the match in Bangladesh’s favor after early setbacks.
Despite a strong start by England’s openers, Bangladesh recovered through disciplined batting and tight death-over bowling to clinch the victory.
The win highlighted the team’s ability to perform under pressure, combining experienced contributions with emerging resilience.
How did Mustafizur Rahman’s return impact the match?
Mustafizur’s return provided an early breakthrough by dismissing Henry Nicholls in his second over, setting the tone for Bangladesh’s bowling effort after missing the first two games due to injury.
What was the significance of Shanto and Litton’s partnership?
Shanto and Litton’s 160-run stand for the fourth wicket stabilized the innings after Bangladesh lost three early wickets, with both players reaching significant personal milestones — Shanto’s first century in two years and Litton’s first fifty in two and a half years.