Bangladesh claimed a comfortable eight-wicket victory over the Netherlands in the second T20 international at Sylhet International Stadium on 30 August 2025, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Taskin Ahmed starred with the ball, taking four crucial wickets to restrict the Dutch to 136 for 8 in their 20 overs, while captain Litton Das and Saif Hassan guided the chase with composure, scoring 54 and 36* respectively to see Bangladesh home with 39 balls to spare.
After winning the toss at 17:30, Bangladesh captain Litton Das opted to field first. The Netherlands began cautiously, with off-spinner Mehidy Hasan conceding just three runs in the opening over. Max O’Dowd attacked in the second over, hitting three boundaries off left-arm pacer Shariful Islam, taking the Dutch to 16 without loss after two overs.
Taskin Ahmed was introduced in the fourth over and made an immediate impact, removing O’Dowd for 23 off 15 balls, caught by Zaker Ali. In the eighth over, Taskin struck again with his first ball, dismissing Vikramjit Singh (4 off 11) caught at long-on. Despite some counter-attacks, including a six and four by Teja Nidamanuru off Taskin in the same over, the Dutch were reduced to 49 for 2 after eight overs.
Rishad Hossain’s ninth over proved costly as Edwards scored ten runs, but the Dutch captain soon fell to Saif Hassan, returning to the national side after almost two years. Saif struck twice in his first over, dismissing Edwards (12 off 7) and Nidamanuru (26 off 26), leaving the visitors at 68 for 4 after ten overs.
The middle order failed to rebuild the innings. Mustafizur Rahman dismissed Shariz Ahmed (15 off 14) in the fifteenth over, with Zaker Ali completing his third catch of the innings. This wicket also marked Mustafizur’s 140th T20 international scalp. Taskin returned in the 16th and 18th overs, removing Kyle Klein (9 off 12) and Noah Croes (11 off 13), completing a superb four-wicket haul. Shoriful Islam bowled a maiden over in the fifth and finished with 25 runs conceded in four overs, while Mehidy Hasan and Rishad Hossain went wicketless. The Dutch innings ended at 136 for 8, with a final run-out off the last ball.
Chasing 137 for victory, Bangladesh got off to a blazing start. Parvez Hossain and Tanzid Hasan put on 26 for the opening wicket before Parvez was bowled by Dutch off-spinner Arian Dutt for 15 off 9 balls. Litton Das joined Tanzid at the crease and began constructing a strong partnership. By the end of the ninth over, Bangladesh were 92 for 2, with Litton scoring 44 off 22 balls, including a six over fine leg.
Tanzid Hasan fell for 29 off 24 balls, caught at long-on by Max O’Dowd off Tim Pringle, ending a 66-run partnership in 39 balls with Litton. Litton kept the momentum, hitting successive fours and a reverse-swept six off Daniel Doram in the middle overs, reaching 54 off 29 balls Litton his 13th T20 international fifty, equalling Shakib Al Hasan’s record for Bangladesh.
Saif Hassan, making his return to international cricket after almost two years, remained unbeaten on 36 off 19 balls. He finished the game with a flourish in the 14th over, smashing back-to-back sixes off Vikramjit Singh, the first with a kneeled flick and the next over the sight screen, to seal an eight-wicket victory with 39 balls remaining.
