It proved to be not easy to get runs on Pallekal's wicket. Even though Bangladesh were bowled out for 164, when the home team Sri Lanka had to play up to 39 overs on a familiar ground and lost 5 wickets, there was no doubt about it.
But why can't Bangladesh score 200 wickets? If Sri Lanka can win with 5 wickets in hand even against Bangladesh's experienced bowling attack , why would Bangladesh be stuck at 164 against Sri Lanka's relatively inexperienced bowlers!
Even captain Shakib Al Hasan cannot accept this failure. 'It's not a 300-run wicket, but we should have scored 220-230,' the Bangladesh captain said at the award ceremony after Tuesday's 5-wicket loss to Sri Lanka at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.
Shakib took the failure of not being able to do what he should have done, 'I should have taken more responsibility myself. But I couldn't take it. We did not do well in batting. A big match is waiting for us now.'
Despite the poor batting, however, Shakib became hopeful for once. That was after Sri Lanka fell by 3 wickets for 43 runs, 'We needed to pick up some more wickets right away. But unfortunately we could not take it. There were not enough runs on the scoreboard either.'
After the match, Nazmul Hossain, who scored the highest 89 runs for Bangladesh, came to the press conference as the representative of the team. He also sees Pallekal's wicket playing a role in the team's batting failure
However, he said, they should have batted better on this wicket too, 'I will not say that the wicket was very easy. The new ball may have been a little easier, but when the ball was old, it was difficult to play. I think, if we batsmen at the top could have formed a good pair, then maybe we would not have faced such a problem. We should have batted a little better.'
In the absence of Liton Das, the first four batsmen of the Bangladesh team were left-handed. But Nazmul didn't think it was a problem, 'I don't think it was a problem. Because, everyone comes prepared to play left-handed and right-handed bowlers. We all have the ability to bat in any situation and against any bowling.'
The match against Afghanistan in Lahore on September 3 has become a life-and-death battle for Bangladesh after losing to Sri Lanka. If you lose, you will not get to the Super Four, even if you win, the equation of net run rate can remain.
Nazmul, however, is not willing to think that far. He is rather optimistic — Bangladesh can still play in the Super Four. But for now only Afghanistan is on their mind, 'definitely possible (to play in the Super Four). But without thinking so far, we have to plan and prepare how to win the next match. We will play to win that match. If we win the match, then we will see what the situation will be
60.426 SRY