Najmul powers Bangladesh to T20 upset over England

Najmul Hossain

CHITTAGONG, AFP: Najmul Hossain hit 51 off 30 balls as Bangladesh held their nerve to beat world champions England by six wickets in the first Twenty20 international in Chittagong on Thursday.

Najmul’s third T20I fifty guided Bangladesh to 158-4 in 18 overs after the hosts held England to 156-6, despite skipper Jos Buttler making 67 off 42 balls.

“Bangladesh finished the innings really well. We were in a position to really kick on and launch at the end, but we couldn’t manage to get away,” said Buttler.

“We were probably 20 short with our score and we had to chase a little bit in the field.” Buttler put on 80 runs with Phil Salt in their opening partnership after the hosts put England in to bat first.

But England crumbled after Buttler’s fourth-wicket dismissal and managed just 21 runs in the last five overs.

Pace bowler Hasan Mahmud, who forced Buttler to give a catch at long-on in the 16th over, finished with 2-26.

This was the first T20 for England since winning the World Cup in Australia in November.

The hosts and England had previously played only one T20I against each other, which England won by eight wickets at the 2021 World Cup.

The remaining two matches of the series will be played in Dhaka on March 12 and 14.