Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan admitted that the bowlers couldn’t execute their plans in the death overs after they lost against Sri Lanka by two wickets at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Thursday and were knocked out of the Asia Cup.
Bangladesh had their noses in front as Sri Lanka needed 25 runs off the final two overs and had also lost seven wickets. However, the penultimate over was taken for 17 runs, which was bowled by Ebadot Hossain. Hossain bowled one wide and a no-ball, which made matters difficult for Bangladesh.
Mehedy Hasan was given the responsibility of bowling the final over when Bangladesh only had seven runs in the bank but the Tigers had to keep an extra fielder inside the 30-yard circle because of the slow overrate.
Furthermore, Hasan bowled a no-ball on the third ball and Sri Lanka was able to clinch the thriller after Karunaratne scored a little cameo of 10-ball 16.
The target of 184 is the highest which has been ever chased by a team in the UAE and this was also Sri Lanka’s second-highest run chase in the T20I format. Kusal Mendis was the star of the show as he scored 60 runs from 37 balls.
Shakib Al Hasan admitted that they haven’t been able to play their best in the last six months and feels they will need to turn the tables in the T20 World Cup.
Hasan said in the post-match presentation, “I think a few poor overs cost us the game. In the last over they were 8 down, but they got there with four balls in hand. That shows we aren’t bowling well in 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 the spinner bowled the last over. The last six months we haven’t played well, but we have been competitive in these last two games. World Cup will be a different challenge now, we have to improve. We feel sorry for our fans, everywhere we go we get such superb support.”
Bangladesh had lost against Afghanistan by seven wickets earlier in the tournament and it was a disappointing campaign for them as they failed to reach the Super Four stage.
