Sharjah to Delhi: Mustafizur Rahman travels 2,100km to play two matches in two days

Bangladesh left-arm pacer’s absence could give UAE edge in today’s Twenty20 contest

Last updated:
A.K.S. Satish, Sports Editor
2 MIN READ
Mustafizur Rahman of Delhi Capitals bowls during the Indian Premier League against Gujarat Titans at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi on Sunday.
Mustafizur Rahman of Delhi Capitals bowls during the Indian Premier League against Gujarat Titans at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi on Sunday.
Sportzpics for IPL

Dubai: Two matches, two countries, two venues, two days — and two very different results. Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman has been on a whirlwind tour, juggling commitments for both country and franchise.

On Saturday, the left-arm seamer bagged 2 for 17 to help Bangladesh seal a 27-run win over UAE in the opening T20I in Sharjah. By Sunday, he was in Delhi, rushing in as a replacement for the departing Mitchell Starc in the IPL, travelling 2,100km to complete his commitments. The quick turnaround — and a minor communication glitch over his clearance — created a stir, but not much else; Mustafizur’s presence couldn’t prevent Gujarat Titans from comfortably chasing down a target against his IPL team.

Back in Sharjah, Bangladesh will now have to manage without him for Monday’s decider.

Parvez makes history

The star of Saturday’s win was Parvez Hossain Emon, who hammered a 53-ball century — only the second by a Bangladeshi in T20Is after Tamim Iqbal’s 103 not out in 2016. His innings included nine sixes, a national record, as Bangladesh posted 191 for 7.

UAE’s chase saw early fireworks from Muhammad Waseem and Rahul Chopra before a blazing cameo from Asif Khan threatened to turn the match. But a middle-order collapse derailed their progress.

Asif’s late charge not enough

Chasing 192, UAE were well-placed at 103 for 2 in the 12th over when Asif walked in. He smashed 42 off just 21 balls, taking spinner Mahedi Hasan for three sixes in one over and dominating a short stand that gave Bangladesh a scare.

But wickets kept falling at the other end. Chopra and Dhruv Parashar were dismissed in quick succession, and Asif’s exit in the penultimate over signalled the end of the fight. UAE were eventually bowled out for 164.

Waseem sets the tone

UAE’s chase began brightly, with Waseem launching Mahedi’s first ball for six. The opener raced to a 32-ball fifty, targeting the spinners with sweeps and slog-sweeps. Chopra chipped in with scoops and drives, keeping Bangladesh’s attack under pressure.

However, the introduction of Mustafizur in the middle overs tightened things up. The veteran’s clever variations once again made the difference, just before he flew out for IPL duty.

Mustafizur’s missing, but the series isn’t

Bangladesh will be without their go-to death bowler in Monday’s series finale, while UAE will take confidence from how close they ran the visitors. With Parvez in red-hot form and UAE’s batters showing plenty of intent, Sharjah could be in for another high-scoring, unpredictable finish — just without the whirlwind named Mustafizur.

A.K.S. Satish
A.K.S. SatishSports Editor
From playing on the pitch to analysing it from the press box, Satish has spent over three decades living and breathing sport. A cricketer-turned-journalist, he has covered three Cricket World Cups, the 2025 Champions Trophy, countless IPL seasons, F1 races, horse racing classics, and tennis in Dubai. Cricket is his home ground, but he sees himself as an all-rounder - breaking stories, building pages, going live on podcasts, and interviewing legends across every corner of the sporting world. Satish started on the back pages, and earned his way to the front, now leading the sports team at Gulf News, where he has spent 25 years navigating the fast-evolving game of journalism. Whether it’s a Super-Over thriller or a behind-the-scenes story, he aims to bring insight, energy, and a fan’s heart to every piece. Because like sport, journalism is about showing up, learning every day, and giving it everything.

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