Bangladesh Looks to Improve After ODI Collapse Against Sri Lanka

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Bangladesh cricketer Tanzid Hasan expressed the need for his team to step up after their collapse in the first ODI against Sri Lanka.

During the match held two days ago, Bangladesh faced a dramatic downturn after promising starts. Tanzid, along with his opening partner, scored half-centuries but couldn’t prevent the team’s downfall, resulting in a loss in Colombo.

“We had a long discussion about the last match,” Tanzid said. “The coaches told us that on a wicket like this, those who get set need to finish things off since it’s hard for new batters to adjust.”

Bangladesh’s target was 245 runs but faltered after the dismissal of their set batters. “Shanto bhai and I, the way we were batting at that time, if we had stayed for another 10-15 overs, the match would have been much easier,” Tanzid added.

He pointed out the key to success in the upcoming game: adjusting to the pitch conditions and leveraging match-ups against spinners like Wanindu Hasaranga, who took 4 wickets for only 10 runs.

“The left-hand batters need to take as much strike as possible since he is less effective against left-handers,” Tanzid explained.

Despite his 62 runs, Tanzid downplayed his performance, stating, “I didn’t fulfill the team’s requirements.” He also emphasized that with two matches remaining in the series, they have a chance for a comeback.

Moreover, Bangladesh is facing pressure after an extended winless streak in ODIs, during which they lost all but one match – an abandoned game due to rain. The absence of veteran players like Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah was noticeably felt in their last match.

In a worrying statistic, Bangladesh’s middle order scored just one run in the last ODI, marking their lowest contribution in ODI history.

The second ODI will take place at the R Premadasa Stadium, where Tanzid’s call for careful batting could be critical in reversing the team’s fortunes.