Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan rued the team’s bowling woes and asked for patience after losing Thursday’s thriller to Sri Lanka to crash out of the ongoing Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates.
Shakib returned as captain of the Twenty20 side last month but back-to-back defeats against Afghanistan and Sri Lanka put paid to its hopes of making the tournament’s Super Four stage. Its death-overs bowling remained a particular concern ahead of the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia next month but Shakib was hopeful of a turnaround.
“I have returned to T20 captaincy with these two matches. We have a lot in mind when we make a new beginning,” he said after losing the grudge match against Sri Lanka by two wickets.
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“We have a plan in place. We want to slowly reach our goal. But if you notice our attitude and body language in these two games, despite the poor approach in batting in the first game, I think we have improved from our last three or four series.”
‘Big crime’
Bitterness marred the buildup of the Group B do-or-die contest as both teams took dig at each other’s bowling departments. Sri Lanka, needing 25 from the last two overs with three wickets in hand, held its nerve to win the contest, triggering wild celebrations in its dressing room.
Shakib said Bangladesh would try new fast bowlers in next month’s tri-series in New Zealand.
“Only those who can deliver will be in the team. We looked at four fast bowlers here, and we will look at more in the tri-series in New Zealand so that we have a clearer idea who can do well in Australia.”
He was also upset with the two no balls conceded by off-spinner Mahedi Hasan, the first of which resulted in a reprieve for Kusal Mendis who went on smash the match’s highest individual score of 60.
“It is a big crime when a spinner bowls a no-ball,” Shakib said.
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