The game is not over until it’s over – Shakib Al Hasan on the ongoing Test against Sri Lanka
Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan is still hopeful of finding a way to steer themselves to sage water in the second test against Sri Lanka while the hosts found themselves in a precarious position at 34/4.
Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan is still hopeful of finding a way to steer themselves to sage waters in the second test against Sri Lanka. The hosts found themselves in a precarious position at 34/4, still trailing by 107 at stumps on Day 4.
Bangladesh is now looking toward the heroes of first innings centurions, Liton Das and Mushfiqur Rahim. Shakib himself is slated to bat next at NO. 7.
”I think there is Mushfiq Bhai and Liton in the middle, and if they can bat as they did in the first innings we have a chance,”
Shakib told reporters at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Friday.
”When two batsmen get set on this wicket, then removing them is quite difficult. If you see their front-line bowlers are pacers and they can have a spell of a maximum of five to six overs. If we can survive that threat, life will be easy for us, because the bowlers will be tired while the ball will be old and the batsmen are set.
”I feel those who are batting, have to bat till lunch. Before lunch, if more than one wicket falls, it will be difficult, so lunchtime is important.”
Shakib also highlighted that it was more about batting time on the last day and hoped for the rest of the batting unit to show the required temperature to bat through sessions.
”Now, as far as the team is concerned, if I can bat for three hours rather than scoring a century that will be more helpful for the team. Not only me, but all the six batsmen also need to perform because the situation is such that they will attack in the first hour and we need to survive. The game is not over until it’s over.”
He also noted that more than fitness, Bangladesh’s players need to look at the mental side of things to improve their performance in Test cricket.
”The situation is difficult. The wicket is not that difficult but when you have been in the field for two or two-and-a-half days, bowling 160-170 overs in the second innings, then it’s difficult on the fourth day. The players are maybe a little tired since it looks like both Tests are going to the end of the fifth day.
”We are perhaps the fittest team in Test cricket because we field the most in Test cricket. We are fit physically but mentally we are a bit behind and we need to work on it.
”You see, we fielded for nearly 450 overs (409) in three innings, and Mushfiqur and Liton scored over 140 and 150 runs respectively, so we are physically fit but have a mental problem,”
he reckoned.
”It’s difficult for top-order batters in this situation. We haven’t been able to handle that pressure and Bangladesh have been going through this problem for a while (collapsing under pressure). When I wasn’t on the team, it happened, and now that I am here, it’s happening.
”We have failed in the second innings in the recent past. There was room for improvement and we failed today as well. However, it’s not the end. It will not be okay to say everything ended before it did.”