This team needs time: Mahmudullah
Bangladesh’s tour of Pakistan might have been finalised after a lot of uncertainties, with the two boards finally agreeing on splitting the tour in three parts, but the Tigers were still expected to fare a lot better than they did during their 2-0 series defeat following the abandonment of the final T20I due to rain in Lahore yesterday.
Bangladesh’s batting approach throughout the tour was most questionable. Facing the top-ranked T20I side at their own backyard, Bangladesh opted to employ in both matches five batsmen who usually open the innings in domestic and T20 cricket.
However, skipper Mahmudullah Riyad asked this young side to be given time to succeed in this format.
“I was a bit disappointed with our performances. I think we are better than that. I think we need to sit back and watch the areas we can improve on. We have got a very young team at the moment and we need to give them enough opportunities and a bit of time to gain the experience,” Mahmudullah said after the final T20I was washed out.
The pitch in Lahore was on the slower side. Mahmudullah, who acknowledged the slowness of the track, still opined that batting throughout the tour was below-par.
“I think we do not have much to take away from this tour. I think Tamim’s [Iqbal] batting was one positive thing. He batted just as it was required in these types of pitches. But I think we could not do well as a batting unit overall even though the pitch was not very batting friendly,” said the all-rounder.
In the first T20I, the Tigers failed to cash in after a decent start. And according to the skipper, it was yet again batting failure which left the bowlers with little to defend as the Tigers were handed a nine-wicket thumping in the second match.
“The bowlers were decent. They bowled well in the first game. In the second game we could not put up a big total and that might be a reason [for the bowlers’ failure in the second game]. But I think it is our batting that needs to be improved more in T20Is,” Mahmudullah opined.