We did not find the momentum, says Shakib

Bangladesh were restricted to just 143 in a wicket which had pace and bounce but favoured run-making batsmen in the first T20I at St Kitts today. Skipper Shakib Al Hasan stated that his team did not find momentum due to losing early wickets.

The Tigers' lack of T20 expertise once again came to the fore as a batting collapse looked on the cards as early as the first over where both Tamim Iqbal and Soumya Sarkar went for ducks.

Shakib Al Hasan and Liton Das started the recovery but they too fell in consecutive deliveries in the last over of the Powerplay. After rain had delayed start of the match, it came back in again before the West Indies chase, delaying proceedings by an hour which led to the target for the hosts being reduced to 91 runs in 11 overs.

Speaking after the game, Shakib reiterated that it was always going to be difficult defending that total.

"In this kind of wicket, defending 91 is actually very difficult.

"Important thing was that we lost wickets at crucial stages. Even after the early wickets, me and Liton had a good partnership but we lost our wickets in the last over of the Powerplay.

Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah Riyad starred in an 24-ball 47-run partnership for the fifth wicket before he Mushfiqur fell in the 10th over with the score on 90 -- at a point where Bangladesh were beginning to look like they could post a commanding total.

"Mushfiq bhai and (Mahmudullah) Riyad bhai had a good partnership, and then Mushfiq bhai lost his wicket. We lost wickets at crucial stages and that is why we never had the momentum.

"This is why we could not make a big score. I think it was a 170 or 180 wicket and without a score like that, it was difficult to come back."