Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan said that silly shots that the batsmen played against Kedar Jadhav cost them the game. Bangladesh were cruising with a strong third-wicket partnership between Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim before Jadhav dismissed Tamim. He later went on to take the wicket of Mushfiqur and thus turned the match around in India’s favour.
“The way we performed today was very disappointing,” Shakib said. “We were in a good position to get 320 or 330. The batsmen were looking good to make individual hundreds and get us to 320. But India bowled a few dot balls. And because it was a part-time bowler, the batsmen tried to score more runs and in doing that, they lost wickets. Losing two wickets to an occasional bowler obviously didn’t help. And from there on they kept on bowling in good areas and that put us under a lot of pressure.”
Bangladesh never regained the momentum that they had during Mushfiqur and Tamim’s stand. They lost wickets of Shakib and Mahmudullah shortly thereafter and it was only a late surge from Mashrafe Mortaza that got them to the total of 264.
“We have played enough games to know these things happen. We are all experienced people,” said Shakib, “In that situation, it was important for them to bat another five or 10 overs, like the way I did with Mahmudullah against New Zealand. If they could have batted until the 40th over, both would have scored their hundreds and we might have made 330 or 340.” India now play Pakistan in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy on Sunday.
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