‘Spinner bowling no-ball is a big crime’

Bangladesh let Sri Lanka off the hook with fielding mishaps and overstepping to exit the 2022 Asia Cup despite putting up a good fight. Skipper Shakib Al Hasan felt there are two areas his side will initially focus on following the exit. 

It was in the seventh over of the innings that Mahedi Hasan got the better off Kusal Mendis, who was taking the bowling apart after his first reprieve. Mendis nicked the Mahedi delivery while going for the slog-sweep but as he was walking back to the dug out, he was called back by the umpire as Mahedi had bowled a no-ball.

Skipper Shakib Al Hasan said that for a spinner, it was a big crime. He said that it was one of the key areas his side needed to focus on in terms of not bowling extras. Bangladesh bowled four no-balls and six wides during the game and were two overs behind the stipulated time given to complete the overs.

"No captain wants no-ball from the team. So ofcourse it's a crime and spinner bowling no-ball is a big crime but you know these are the areas we need to improve on. We bowled a lot of wides and no-balls today," Shakib said at the press conference today.

Bangladesh were wayward at times despite being able to keep picking up wickets. A failure to absorb pressure once again led to a crucial match slipping away. Shakib felt bowlers' discipline was not upto the mark.

"We were not disciplined and when we were under pressure, we didn't know what to do. These are the pressure games we can learn from and move forward if we want to do well," he said.

Sri Lanka were down to their tail-end batters and Shakib rued the fact that bowlers could not thwart the tail-enders in the last two overs.

"In last two overs they needed 26 or 25. You know, eight wickets down you back your main bowlers to defend that run against their bowlers," he said.

Asked if emotions got the better of Bangladesh in the crucial stages, Shakib agreed that his side failed to keep emotions in check. He conceded that it was the other area he would look to improve on.

"Yes we're very emotional. That's the other area we need to improve to keep our emotions on the side and play the way we need to play, keeping our head in the game," he said after Bangladesh's disappointing exit from Asia Cup following a close match.