“We thought that Miraz was a greater possibility [as an opener] towards Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. He has all the time dealt with thriller spinners like Mujeeb and Theekshana nicely. That was the explanation [why he opened]. It was a well-thought out choice. The openers added 50 runs [against Sri Lanka], however we wanted an 80 or 90 opening stand. Then it could have been a unique form of sport.
“At this second, I really feel that he has a job to play within the high order. He’s a strong batsman with a great method. Towards explicit groups he can do rather well. It was not a fluke that he scored the hundred; it could possibly’t be. A tailender cannot rating 100 towards the most effective spin assaults on this planet. I feel he has a job to play [with the bat], but when he bats at No. 7, it offers us extra depth. The youthful guys can get uncovered in a match like this.”
Bangladesh’s lengthy tail is changing into a headache this yr, particularly after they began to desire bowling cowl to a protracted batting line-up. Historically, Bangladesh have gone the latter, however underneath each Tamim Iqbal and Shakib, they’ve opted for, within the phrases of Shakib, the “aggressive” possibility. Nevertheless, Shakib mentioned that having a protracted tail hasn’t curbed his center order’s inclination in the direction of enjoying their photographs.
“The dressing room does not really feel reluctant to play our photographs as a result of lengthy tail. We nonetheless wish to be constructive.” he mentioned. “We nonetheless wish to play the best photographs on the proper time. We wish to consider in our high seven, who ought to win you 90% of the matches with the bat. If we put one other batter, it is going to be [based on] horses for programs. Somebody like Nasum Ahmed gave 31 runs in ten overs [against Sri Lanka]. If we did not play him, we’d have in all probability given away 30 extra runs, which the No. 8 batter would then have to attain.
“There’s a variety of ifs and buts after the sport. However earlier than the sport, the way you focus on and wish to play is extra vital. I feel we took the aggressive choice to play with six bowlers in order that we may bowl them out for 220-230. However they obtained away at the beginning. They survived. They had been fortunate. There have been a few missed probabilities. In any other case issues may have been completely different.”
“It isn’t that he’s getting out rapidly. If a batter could make 20, he has the flexibility to attain an eighty or 100”
Shakib is not totally disenchanted with opener Mohammad Naim
“We have not achieved a variety of experiment,” Shakib mentioned. “Naim is enjoying his fourth match [in the tournament]. We had a number of accidents after the primary sport, however Litton [Das] got here [back] into the image. Naim obtained begins in 4 video games. It isn’t that he’s getting out rapidly. I feel it’s extra about mentality than talent. If a batter could make 20, he has the flexibility to attain an eighty or 100.
“We wished to be constant [with Naim’s selection]. We did not wish to put somebody in and throw him out after two video games. He had an honest run. He performed 4 video games in a row. He obtained begins in all of the video games. The disappointing aspect is that he did not ship when he ought to have performed an enormous knock. He did not get out first or second ball too. I’m not saying he made a variety of contributions – he performed the brand new ball rather well – however after we wanted, he could not kick on.”
Nevertheless, Shakib admitted that they should put their deteriorating batting underneath the scanner, particularly forward of the World Cup the place they’ve traditionally underperformed.
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“We have not been batting nicely for fairly a while. It’s a matter of concern,” he mentioned. “Now we have to repair these issues. I personally really feel that we actually wanted this actuality examine earlier than the World Cup. We normally do nicely in bilateral collection. You’ll be able to see our outcomes from 2015 to 2019 to 2023. Our huge exams are in these huge tournaments the place we’ve got by no means achieved something extraordinary.
“Now we have three matches within the 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019 World Cups. You will not discover a variety of distinction in these performances. Now we have normally failed after we obtained the fact examine. We’re a promising workforce that is doing nicely on and off. We misplaced the final two dwelling collection towards England and Afghanistan. Our batting [has] deteriorated within the final six months. It’s going downwards, so we’ve got to rectify rapidly.”
“It’s a aid. He batted rather well,” Shakib mentioned. “Enjoying within the LPL should have given him a variety of confidence. He has confronted all these bowlers. I’m very pleased with the best way he batted. It’s nonetheless a protracted approach to go. An enormous match is coming. I hope he continues his kind.”
Mohammad Isam is ESPNcricinfo’s Bangladesh correspondent. @isam84
