Changed mindset helps Liton flourish

A change of mind set has opened Liton Das’ eyes to the possibilities of scoring big in Twenty20s and the wicketkeeper-batter hopes to continue with the same mentality in the future. Bangladesh completed a comprehensive 61-run win over Afghanistan in the first T20 International in Dhaka on Thursday, a win where Liton played a significant part with an eye-pleasing 60 off 44 balls.
This was Liton’s first fifty in T20Is after 17 matches. His previous T20I half-century came against Zimbabwe in March 2020, where he scored a 60 not out off 45 balls. Liton, who came out to bat at number three, didn’t look rushed throughout his innings and played with utmost control till his departure in the 17th over when he
got caught at the edge of the 30-yard circle in a failed attempt to hit the ball over the fielder’s head at short fine leg. Liton’s innings was the saving grace in an otherwise poor batting display from the Tigers.
But Liton’s brilliance followed by left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed’s four-wicket haul ensured a dominant win for the hosts. Liton, who was often guilty of attempting too many big shots early on in his innings, said that with maturity he has realised that even in the shortest format of the game a top-order batsman has enough
time to play a big innings without going gung-ho from ball one.
‘If you change the way you think, 120 balls is a lot of time. I am starting to realise that, I didn’t before. That’s just human nature, the more you play the more you learn,’ Liton said in the post-match press conference on Thursday. ‘When you actually think about it, you realise that you have a lot of time. Even though T20 is
played in a rush, there is enough time to play a good innings. ‘As I bat in the top order, I get sufficient time in ODIs and T20s. I think if one can set their mind set according to each format, then chances of attaining success significantly rises,’ he added.
Liton also sang praises of Nasum for changing the complexion of the match with his spell in the powerplay. ‘Nasum bowled a game-changing over. If he didn’t give us the early breakthroughs, if they were just one wicket down for 40 runs after the powerplay, it would’ve been a different ball game. I feel that it was a good
wicket. The way Nasum bowled on it was outstanding. ‘He basically never bowls like a normal left-arm spinner. I have played him in the nets. He always tries something different, keeps varying the pace. That’s important in T20s. If bowlers continue bowling in the same rhythm, it becomes easier to pick them. But he is
different.’