‘We feel sorry for our fans’

Bangladesh were knocked out from the Asia Cup despite posting a challenging target of 184 runs, with Sri Lanka eventually sealing a two-wicket win to qualify for the Super 4 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium yesterday.

Sri Lanka became the second team from Group B, after toppers Afghanistan, to qualify for the Super 4 while the Tigers return home empty-handed.

Bangladesh supporters, who once again came out in numbers to cheer their team in Dubai, received only agony and skipper Shakib Al Hasan admitted that he felt sorry for them.

"We feel sorry for our fans. Everywhere we go, we get such superb support. I hope they will continue to support us in the coming days," Shakib said during the post-match presentation ceremony.

Bangladesh had only themselves to blame for their downfall after some wayward bowling and poor fielding cost the Tigers dearly. Their bowlers gave away 17 extras, which included eight wides and four no balls, which made a drastic difference, especially as Sri Lanka gave away no extras at all.

Kusal Mendis, who scored a team-high 60 off 37 balls, was fortunate to be dropped by Mushfiqur Rahim when he had made just two runs off the bowling of Taskin Ahmed.

The right-hander continued to ride his luck, being caught behind off Mahedi Hasan on 29 before being called back after replays showed it was a no ball. Mendis was third time lucky the very next over, when Mushfiqur Rahim did not go for a review despite an appeal for a caught behind. Although the umpire turned down the appeal, replays revealed a thin edge.

The Tigers did manage to bounce back, with Taskin Ahmed taking a brilliant catch off the bowling of Mustafizur Rahman to dismiss Mendis before Mahedi removed the dangerous Lankan skipper Dasun Shanaka, who had made 45 off 33 balls.

Those efforts meant the Tigers were sensing a win, especially with Sri Lanka needing 25 runs off the last two overs with three wickets in hand.

But Ebadot, who had a dream T20I debut by picking up three wickets in his first three overs of the innings, conceded 17 runs off the penultimate over as the game slipped away from the Tigers. Needing eight runs off the last over with two wickets in hand, Sri Lanka reached the target with four balls to spare.

"I think a few poor overs cost us the game. They were 8 down in the last over, but they got there with four balls in hand. That shows we aren't bowling well at the death, but credit to Sri Lanka for the way they batted. I think Dasun did very well. We wanted to pick wickets early, but the bowlers couldn't execute their plans and that's why a spinner bowled the last over," said Shakib.

Given the Tigers' struggles in the shortest format of the game and with the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup just around the corner, Shakib informed the mega-event would pose an altogether different challenge.

"The last six months we haven't played well, but we have been competitive in these last two games. The World Cup will be a different challenge. We have to improve," he added.