Shadman Islam Defends Bangladesh Batting Lineup After Sri Lanka Test Setback

Shadman Islam, the opening batsman for Bangladesh, has voiced his support for the team's batting lineup following a lackluster performance on the opening day of the second Test match against Sri Lanka.

Shadman top-scored for Bangladesh with 46 on a rain-hit opening day © AFP

Despite several batsmen managing to get a start, none were able to capitalize and convert them into substantial scores. This was largely due to questionable shot selection, ultimately leading to Bangladesh concluding the rain-disrupted day in a sub-optimal position.

Shadman Islam himself led the scoring with 46 runs. Other batsmen also showed promise initially, including Mominul Haque (21), Mushfiqur Rahim (35), Litton Kumar Das (34), and Mehidy Hasan (31). However, after weathering the early pressure, they struggled to maintain their composure and lost their wickets.

"You cannot score runs without playing shots," Shadman stated to reporters after the day's play. "We played shots in Galle too, where those ended in boundaries. But unfortunately, maybe today just wasn't our day."

He further clarified, "There was nothing like trying to score at a good pace. Maybe some shots were wrong. It's part of cricket."

Shadman also commented on the pitch conditions, saying, "I think the wicket was a little bit slow. There was no movement in the morning, but we threw our wickets away. Hopefully, we won't do that in the second innings."

The opener also suggested that the intermittent rain interruptions played a role in the team's performance, as batsmen had to readjust and start afresh after each break, disrupting their momentum.

"The batters need to get set again after a break. Maybe it played a role," Shadman said. "No one wants to get out intentionally. Maybe it was a bad day for us."

Shadman defended the captain's decision to bat first, adding that a score in the range of 270 to 280 would be competitive on the slow surface at the SSC.

"No, I haven't seen anything like that from which we can say that the decision was wrong [opting to bat first]. The wicket was a bit slow. I hope 270-280 is a good score. If we can bowl well, we will make a comeback Insha'Allah," he asserted. "If we can bowl in good areas, then we can make a comeback as there's help on the wicket."

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka's bowling coach, Thilina Kandamby, expressed his surprise at the behavior of the pitch at the SSC.

He remarked that the surface played in a manner unlike anything he had experienced in his 15-year career.

"It's quite an unusual wicket at the SSC. Normally, you get true bounce here, but today it was a bit two-paced. The pace and bounce weren't consistent, and the ball came off the surface slower than we expected," said Kandamby.

"The fast bowlers really showed character. They picked up key wickets and kept us in the game," he added.

"They (fast bowlers) focused heavily on fitness and bowling workloads, and the coaches have monitored them closely. That work is showing now," he said, expressing his expectation that players currently out of form would soon regain their form.

"Prabath is slightly out of form, but we believe in his experience. I'm confident he'll bounce back," Kandamby concluded.