At today’s opening Twenty20 International match between Afghanistan and Bangladesh at the Sylhet International Cricket Ground, Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan attributed their narrow two-wicket loss to the damp surface.
He claimed that the ball became wet because to the wet ground, making it difficult for them to bowl as Bangladesh chased a 155-run target.
“The ground was very wet to be honest, and the strength we have, 50 percent was taken away from us with the wet ball,” Rashid said here today after his side’s defeat.
“But we still bowled well, overall a great effort by the team. With the bowling unit we have, that total was enough but in T20 one innings can take away the game from you.”
Afghanistan made themselves the overwhelming favorites to win the match after setting up 154-7 by restricting Bangladesh to 64-4 in the eleventh over. Towhid Hridoy, who smashed a calm yet aggressive 32 ball-47 not out to lead the team to victory for Bangladesh, nevertheless, emerged as the hero.
Before Karim Janat abruptly breathed new life into the game with a hat-trick, he and Shamim Hossain put together a 73 off 43 for the fifth wicket to edge the team near to victory.
Still, Bangladesh found themselves in a winning position thanks to Shoriful Islam, who maintained composure and savagely cut Janat through point for boundary that allowed the team to win by a narrow margin.
Rashid thought that 20 to 25 runs more would have been enough to win the game as the pitch was damp from a passing shower.
“If the top-order was a bit more careful, we could have got 20-25 more. That could have won us the game since passing shower made the ground wet.”
He however special praise for senior player Mohammad Nabi who hammered an unbeaten 54 to help the side get past 150-run mark after an early trouble.
“Great to see the way he played, senior pro, he set an example and he took it deep. It was not an unplayable pitch and the way he played was amazing and so happy for him.”
