Litton's Extraordinary Comeback Amidst Criticism: Praised by Manager Nafis Iqbal

Being dropped from the Champions Trophy squad, then getting out for a duck on his return to ODIs – Litton Das was going through a tough time. Under intense criticism and pressure from all sides, he stepped onto the field for the T20 series. After a failure in the first match, when criticism was at its peak, the Bangladesh T20 captain made a brilliant turnaround. He led his team to victory with a Man-of-the-Match performance in the second T20 against Sri Lanka and then made a crucial contribution in the final match. For this remarkable comeback, Bangladesh team manager Nafis Iqbal has showered Litton with praise.

Speaking to journalists at Shahjalal Airport today after returning home from the Sri Lanka tour, Nafis Iqbal commented on Litton's performance: "It wasn't easy for him. The way he was coming into the series, he was going through a bad patch. We know that when we go through a bad patch, since everyone in Bangladesh is very emotional, there's a lot of trolling on social media. To come back like this and lead the team, he played an extraordinary role. He showed his character, and I hope and pray that he maintains this."

After being dropped from the Champions Trophy squad, Litton was brought back into the ODI series against Sri Lanka so that selectors could give him more time on the field. However, he got out for a duck in the one match he played, which sparked fresh criticism. Although chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain took responsibility for Litton's failure, the pressure of criticism on Litton continued to mount.

In the T20 series, Litton was dismissed for 6 runs in the first match, and Bangladesh lost, further increasing the pressure. However, in the second T20, Litton played a brilliant innings of 76 runs off 50 balls and was awarded Man of the Match. In the final T20, chasing a target of 133, after losing a wicket on the very first ball, he contributed a crucial 32 runs off 26 balls to the team's victory. Bangladesh won the series by winning two consecutive matches, and Litton was named Man of the Series.

The full series against Sri Lanka was a mixed bag for Bangladesh. After drawing the first Test, the hosts won the next match to clinch the series. Bangladesh then lost the ODI series 2-1. However, in the T20 format, Bangladesh ended on a winning note, clinching the series.

Nafis Iqbal also credited the coaching staff for such a victory. He said, "That's our job. To maintain their belief. The coaching staff is there – whether it's good or bad times, we have to keep that rhythm going. I am very proud of our management, especially many local individuals. The credit goes to all of them."