DHAKA, – Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza urged his side not to be panicked in the wake to successive defeats, stating that the Tigers are capable enough to turn the things around.
The most successful captain of the country said their mission to seal the semifinal spot is still on the track as they have six matches at hands.
”Still six matches to go and hopefully others step up in those games because we have very important matches coming up,” Mashrafe said in the post-match presentation after their 106-run defeat to tournament favourties England.
After their impressive 21-run win over mighty South Africa, Bangladesh conceded a two-wicket to defeat New Zealand but hoped to bounce back against England.
However, that was not the case as the host played a ruthless cricket to outsmart Bangladesh in all departments.
Bangladesh paid the price of their clueless bowling, sluggish fielding and lackluster batting to let them down despite Shakib Al Hasan counter attack with fluent century in their third match of the ICC Cricket World Cup at the Cardiff on Saturday.
A power-packed England batting line up took the full advantage of Bangladesh’s shaky effort in the field to compile a hefty 386-6 before their bowlers tore apart the Tigers with vicious short bowling to dismiss them for 280 in 48.5 overs.
England opener Jason Roy was instrumental in such gigantic total, smashing a 121 ball-153, clobbering 14 fours and five sixes. Jos Buttler hammered 64 off 44 with two fours and four sixes while Jonny Bairstow made 51.
For Bangladesh, Shakib Al Hasan blasted 121 off 119 with 12 fours and one six for his eighth century. It was his third fifty plus score in a row having made 75 and 64 in the last two matches. With 260 runs under belt, Shakib is so far the highest scorer of this World Cup.
It was the highest score of the ongoing World Cup as of now and second highest ODI total against Bangladesh.
Mashrafe said that they lost the game to Jason Roy, who plundered them in all corner of the parts. ”386 is too many, credit goes to their batsmen. It’s very difficult to get him (Roy) once he gets set. We knew we had to get Roy out, only then we could have come back in the match,” he said.
He also clarified his decision to bowl first when many believed Tigers should bat to create any chance against this ruthless England side.
”The pitch was under cover for one and a half days, so it was a straight decision to bowl first. We need luck sometimes to get those wickets. 330 could have been a different chase but as I said this score was too much,” he remarked.
Mashrafe however heaped shower of praise on Shakib Al Hasan, who put up a brave fight against vicious short bowling of England fast bowlers who operated north of 90 mile per hour.
He said the only positive from the tournament so far was the batting of Shakib Al Hasan, who didn’t get any support from the other end during the game against England. ”Shakib is batting so well for us at number three. He is the only positive amid the gloom,” Mashrafe concluded.
Bangladesh are set to take on Sri Lanka on June 11 at Bristol.
