Liton’s sheer class intensifies Adelaide love-affair

The Adelaide Oval is a venue that has a special place in the hearts of Bangladesh fans as the Mashrafe Bin Mortaza-led Tigers pulled off a famous victory against England in the 2015 World Cup.

Prior to the clash against India, Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan wanted to take inspiration from that glorious 50-over triumph and had searched for heroes. And in Liton Das, arguably Bangladesh's best batter at present in all formats, appeared to have been encouraged by his skipper's words as the stylish right-hander chose to play one of his best T20I knocks on the biggest stage today, during the Tigers' crucial Super 12 fixture of the T20 World Cup against India.

Chasing 185-run target set by the Blues, Liton came out all guns blazing to strike his career's eight T20I fifty off 21 balls, which happens to be the second-fastest half-century by a Bangladesh batter in the format, one ball short from behind Mohammad Ashraful's 20-ball fifty which turned into a match-winning 43-ball 61 knock against the West Indies in the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007.

As a result, Bangladesh pulled off their highest tally in Powerplay, 60 for no loss, in the ongoing mega event as Liton rained fours and sixes before actual rain interrupted proceedings in Adelaide, leaving the Tigers on the driving seat to win the all-important encounter and raise their chance of making to the last-four.

Unfortunately for Bangladesh, Liton's heroic innings ended in a run-out dismissal after he scored 60 off 27 balls, laced with seven fours and three sixes, with the Tigers still needing 83 from 52 deliveries after DLS presented a revised target of 151 in 16 overs. 

Earlier, despite a timid opening partner in Najmul Hossain Shanto, who struggled to get going in the Powerplay, Liton remained unfazed and took total complete charge to keep up with the asking run-rate.

All India's frontline pacers were on the receiving end of Liton's elegant stroke-play. Arshdeep Singh in the innings' second over conceded three boundaries, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammad Shami were made to look ordinary as they gave away a flurry of boundaries in their overs.  

Liton's blitz indicated that Bangladesh may have missed a trick in the ongoing event by not opting to feature him at the very top, even though Shanto and Soumya Sarkar have played reasonably well, compared to the other batters, in their three outings.   

Prior to the T20 World Cup, Liton was the leading run-scorer for Bangladesh in 2022 as the stylish right-hander scored 417 runs in 14 T20I innings, with an impressive strike rate of 139.46. And of those 14 outings, Liton opened in five games and scored 155 with an even better strike rate of 150.5 -- all of which happened in July this year, against the West Indies at home and Zimbabwe away.