Fearless Liton gives Tigers a flying start with 21-ball fifty

Chasing a steep 185-run target, Bangladesh needed a blistering start and that's exactly what Liton Das gave the Tigers in their T20 World Cup Super 12 fixture against India at the Adelaide Oval on Wednesday. 

Smashing a total of seven boundaries and three maximums, Liton brought up his eighth T20I fifty off just 21 deliveries. However, Liton's fifty is the second fastest by a Bangladeshi in the T20 World Cup. A 20-ball fifty by Mohammad Ashraful in Bangladesh's win over West Indies in the 2007 edition of the World Cup still leads the chart. 

Liton would surely not bother about not being able to eclipse the record as his stormy knock helped Bangladesh to a position from where they can really go on and win this game. 

In fact, now that the game has been halted due to rain, Liton's knock could prove decisive in this game as it puts Bangladesh 17 runs ahead of India as per the DLS. Before rain interrupted proceedings, Bangladesh reached 66 for no loss after seven overs with Liton unbeaten on 59 off 26 deliveries and Najmul Hossain Shanto on seven off 16.  

Liton brought up his fifty with a six off Mohammad Shami. He had hit Shami for a boundary the previous ball and then followed it up with a massive six over deep square leg to get to the landmark score in the sixth over as Tigers amassed 60 for no loss in the Powerplay -- their best showing so far in this T20 World Cup.  

Liton, however, did ride his luck. At first, he edged an Arshdeep delivery that only fell narrowly short of the wicketkeeper. He was also dropped by the keeper off a Bhuveneshwar Kumar delivery in the third over. 

However, those close chances did not stop Liton as he went on with his mission to attack the Indian pace attack in the Powerplay.