Hunting small targets helps me do well: Liton

Bangladesh opener Liton Das said hunting small targets rather than thinking for something big helped him do well in the second ODI against Afghanistan on Friday in Chattogram.

Liton smashed his fifth ODI ton in this match, which eventually helped the Tigers to ensure the series win with a match to go on February 28 at the same venue.

The batter piled up 136 off 126 balls with 16 fours and two sixes. It was his second-best innings in the format after 176 not out against Zimbabwe in 2020.

After this spectacular ton in the Asia Cup final against India in 2018, Liton had suffered long patch of inconsistency. He did well every now and then but was lacking consistency which was the main concern about him, reports UNB.

“The main target was to bat for at least 30-35 overs,” Liton told the broadcaster after the match. “I was playing in ODIs after a long time. But my mindset was the same. The mindset of batting for a long time helped me go for small targets that were in my mind.”

Liton hit 136 in this match— his fifth ton in ODIs. He and Mushfiqur Rahim added 202 runs in the third-wicket partnership— the biggest partnership in this stand for Bangladesh so far. Riding on this pair, Bangladesh posted 306 which has proved to be too good for Afghanistan.

“The way Liton and Mushfqiur batted was brilliant,” Tamim Iqbal, Bangladesh captain and Liton’s opening partner told the broadcaster. “But we failed to do well in the death overs. Our bowlers did their job so well.”

With this win, Bangladesh went to the top of the table of the World Cup Super League with 10 wins. Along the way, they surpassed England who have nine wins so far.