Shakib excuses batters' performances
Bangladesh Test skipper Shakib Al Hasan excused the batters' poor performance following the 10-wicket loss in the second Test at St Lucia and lose the series 2-0.
Bangladesh were in a good position at 100 for 2 in the first innings on day one but lost their way to finally manage 234, that too with some hefty blows from Shoriful Islam and resistance from Ebadot Hossain with the bat. Windies then found themselves in a similar position with the bat but recovered from the difficult position to take a big first innings total.
Following their troubles in the first Test, the top-order then crumbled once more in the second innings on day three as Bangladesh lost six wickets in 36 overs, still behind by 42 runs. Bangladesh were bowled out for 184.
Only Nurul Hasan's unbeaten 60 allowed the Tigers to avoid an innings defeat as Windies, needing just 13 runs, romped to a 10-wicket win.
The batters had worrisome issues in application and adapting to tough situations. The bounce on the surface was difficult for most while in the first Test, seam and swing saw the batters suffer. Shakib said Test teams usually do not do well away.
"Normally when a Test team travels abroad, they don't seem to do well. I am not worried about our batting. We need to be mentally tough enough, that's one area we can improve on because I believe we have the capability to compete with all the big teams in the world," he said during the presentation ceremony after the match.
He said the Tests had been a difficult challenge but they will be taking the positives. Bangladesh have some time before their next Test assignment and he was hoping they be able to improve over that period. The pacers' performance was something he said will be positive, reminding that the pacers have not been able to threaten in a way they currently do.
"We always knew it's going to be a tough series, especially in Test format. We're trying our best and I think we can take a lot of positives from this series. We need to make sure that we do something that will win us a Test match. We will play at home after five months (in Tests) and we have a long break. We have a chance to think of all the areas we need to improve on and then hopefully we can work on those five months and get better at it," he said.
"Yes I think that's one area that last 3-4 years that we improved in most. I think we got some great fast bowlers and their work ethic is pretty good. The way they are improving now. Khaled got five wickets this match and Ebadot got five before. I don't remember when a fast bowler got five wickets previously. Some positives sign we can take. Fast bowlers are working really hard but we need to play as a team to win matches and that's what we will look to do from next series," he said of the pace attack.
He was hopeful of better performances in the T20Is and ODIs.
"I think we will be very competitive in the white ball formats. ODI format is something we always do well in and T20 is something we're not far beyond in. I think we will put on a show and I hope the T20I side and ODI side will be very competitive against the West Indies," Shakib concluded.
Comments