Captain Liton wants Tigers to ‘enjoy the game without thinking too much about the result’ against UAE

Bangladesh's T20I captain, Liton Das, said he wants all players to enjoy their cricket and not focus too much on the result in the two-match T20I series against hosts UAE, starting with the first game at Sharjah Cricket Stadium today.

Liton, who was recently handed over the T20I captaincy after Najmul Hossain Shanto stepped down from the role, had a clear message for the squad.

"The message will be the same for everyone -- to stay relaxed," he said in a video message after the Tigers' practice session in Sharjah on Friday.

"Since this format comes with a lot of mental challenges, I want every player to play freely in their role. I want them to enjoy the game without thinking too much about the result. The result will come -- what matters to me is how well we follow the process," he added.

Liton also emphasised the team's intention to work on specific problem areas during this series.

"Our first goal in these two matches is to win both -- that's our top priority. At the same time, we'll try to address the issues we've been working on recently and make progress in those areas," he said.

Bangladesh have struggled with top-order batting for some time -- an area the Tigers will be aiming to improve during the series. Liton himself has been short of runs lately, making this an opportunity for him to rediscover his form.

The Tigers have won all three of their previous T20Is against UAE. However, during their last UAE visit in 2022, they were pushed to the limit in one match.

As a result, Liton is not taking the 15th-ranked T20I side -- six places below ninth-ranked Bangladesh -- lightly.

"We'll try our best to play good cricket. UAE are a very good team on their home soil. They play here regularly and have a good understanding of the conditions. But our team is also very good. We'll try to adapt and play good cricket," Liton said.