When everyone is looking for a solution to Bangladesh’s batting woes, former skipper Sakib al Hasan urged team-mates also to lift their fielding standard against Pakistan.
According to Sakib, Bangladesh must take advantage of every opportunity in the field and make use of the half chances to put their opposition under pressure.
The Tigers were bundled out for just 91 thanks to some poor shot selections from the top order. Though the host bowlers were able to clean up half of Pakistan’s wickets in their run chase, fielding lapses denied a chance of taking the match closer.
When Pakistan were struggling at 63-5, Bangladesh had the chance to put them under serious pressure when Sakib took the edge of Shahid Afridi only to see it dropped by Shahriar Nafees at slip.
‘Their batting looked slightly vulnerable from what I have seen in the last two matches and they can be put under pressure provided we make use of the half chances,’ Sakib told New Age on Friday.
Sakib thinks that Pakistan are performing consistently but their bowling is not unplayable and it was the lack of application from our batsmen that did it.
‘They are a very unpredictable side though they are performing pretty consistently in the recent times. Their bowling is very good but I don’t think it is unplayable. It’s just that we did not manage to apply ourselves which I think is very necessary,’ he added.
The Tigers will be looking to get back in the series with today’s match at the SBNS and Elias Sunny, who already had a memorable Test debut, is most likely to make his ODI debut.
Sunny may replace Farhad Reza, who played the first match as the third seamer but was given only one over.
As pitches are taking turn more than ever they gave enough indication that Bangladesh may go back to their old strategy with a third left-arm spinner joining Sakib and Abdur Razzak in the attack.
-With New Age input
