NEWS
Follow UsBangladesh entered the two-Test series against South Africa at home, positive that they could eke out a result against a somewhat inexperienced visiting unit, but, as it turned out, the Tigers got humiliated in Mirpur, slipping to a heavy defeat. Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bat but they were on the back foot from the first minute after getting rolled over for 106 in the first innings.
The Tigers have now lost four home Tests in a row, and the highs of the Pakistan tour have quickly died out due to disappointing results against India first and now South Africa.
Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto said that Bangladesh underperformed as a unit and lost ‘as a team’.
“We lost as a team. First of all, we are not pointing out any individual things, but we lost as a team,” Shanto said after the game.
Shanto admitted that the Tigers lost the contest with the bat and hoped the batters would show better application, especially against the new ball, in the second Test.
“As a batting group, we need to take responsibility against the new ball, and as a bowling group as well, we need to show improvement,” Shanto said.
“We need to put in a collective performance as a team in the next Test match.”
But the Bangladesh skipper insisted that he was proud of the fightback shown by the team.
At 112/6 in the second innings, it looked like Bangladesh might slip to an innings defeat. But Mehidy Hasan (97) and debutant Jaker Ali (58) showed incredible fight to help the Tigers take a lead over 100 and force the Proteas to chase in the fourth innings.
“We were 200 runs behind, but Mehidy Hasan Miraz showed great character to bring us back. We haven't done that often in the past and that was a great thing,” Shanto said.
The second Test will be played from October 29 onwards at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram.
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