Published on 10:44 PM, July 14, 2023

Was nervous when I didn't get strike in the last over: Hridoy 

Photo: Firoz Ahmed

With just six runs away from victory, Bangladesh almost made a meal out of their chase, conceding a hattrick to Afghanistan pacer Karim Janat in the final over of the innings while chasing 154 in the first of the two-match T20I series at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Friday. 

Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, and Nasum Ahmed were the victims of the hattrick, and at the other end, the set batter, Towhid Hridoy, who was unbeaten on 47, was made to look like a bystander. 

The right-handed batter ended up not getting the strike as an exuberant Shoriful Islam smacked a short and wide one to the boundary to finish off proceedings as the Tigers won by two wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the series.

Hridoy, however, admitted that he felt the nerves as he watched it all unfold from the other end.

"I was nervous when I didn't get the strike in the last over, but I was confident to finish the match as a battter," Hridoy said in the post-match presentation ceremony.

His 32-ball 47 that featured three fours and two sixes was pivotal in the Tigers' successful chase as it lifted them from a perilous situation when they were four down for 64 in the 11th over.

A 73-run stand between Hridoy and Shamim Hossain took the Tigers to the brink of victory before the latter perished while trying to take Rashid Khan on in the 18th over, with Bangladesh still needing 17 runs off 16 balls to win.

Miraz lofted one over short-cover for a boundary before being dismissed for a six-ball eight, while Taskin and Nasum went back with golden ducks.