How Did Skipper Waseem Celebrate UAE's T20I Series Win Against Bangladesh?

Sharjah, May 22 (NationPress) Captain Muhammad Waseem praised the camaraderie within the UAE team following their spectacular comeback to secure the T20I series against Bangladesh. This marks only the second occasion that the UAE has won a T20I series against a Full Member nation, the first being their 2-1 victory over Ireland in 2021.

Initially planned as a two-match T20I series, both teams agreed to add a third match, providing the UAE with additional motivation after trailing 1-0 following Saturday’s game.

In a thrilling finale on Wednesday night, the UAE successfully chased down Bangladesh's target of 162 runs in the last over, thanks to a remarkable unbroken partnership of 87 runs off just 51 balls between Sharafu and Asif Khan.

This series victory is particularly impressive given the UAE's youth, featuring five players without prior caps. Captain Waseem, who also earned the Player of the Series title, expressed his admiration for his team's efforts.

“(I’m) very pleased with how well we performed throughout the series,” Waseem stated during a broadcast. “We never lost hope and kept encouraging each other. We can chase any score here in Sharjah, against any opponent, and we are accustomed to it. Honestly, I’m thrilled.”

“I’m overjoyed that we’ve made history. This series is significant for us and will be beneficial for our future. I’m extremely proud of the boys’ performances,” he added.

“The way Asif (Khan) played, along with Alishan Sharafu, Rahul Chopra, and the bowling from Haider Ali and the rest of the bowlers, made me very happy,” Waseem was quoted saying by ICC.

Sharafu (68 not out from 47 balls) and Asif (41 not out from 26) were strategic in their approach even as the pressure mounted, mixing boundaries with singles against Bangladesh’s pace bowlers. The duo hit three sixes in the 16th over, propelling the hosts towards victory, with Sharafu sealing the match with a boundary, as reported by ICC.

When discussing his strategy, Sharafu noted a few technical and tactical points. “The plan was straightforward: to face as many balls as possible. Everything fell into place in the end. It’s all about the strides. It’s just my usual approach to get moving and position myself for the ball. No specific plan was laid out,” he explained.

“Once Asif came in, it was easy to keep the scoreboard ticking and look for occasional boundaries, while rotating the strike to start,” the all-rounder mentioned during the post-match interview.

“I’m sure everyone in the dugout is excited. Once the third match was announced, there was a positive vibe in the dressing room that we could finish 2-1 up in the series. Everything just fell into place for us afterwards,” he concluded.