‘I think it was 320-340 wicket’

Bangladesh's Towhid Hridoy, who hit a career-best 96 yesterday, rued the fact that the top-order batters who got starts could not carry on but lauded the lower-order batters' efforts even though it went in vain as the Tigers suffered a three-wicket loss to Sri Lanka in the second ODI in Chattogram.

Among the top-order batters, Liton Das departed for a duck but his opening partner Soumya Sarkar persevered against the new ball before coming out with his array of shots during a 66-ball 68.

Soumya first formed a 75-run partnership with skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto and then added another 55 runs for the third wicket with Hridoy, and entertained the small crowd present at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium with 11 fours and one six.

Just when it looked like he could completely derail the Sri Lanka attack, a reverse sweep heading to the boundary got him caught at deep backward point to Dilshan Madushanka.

Shanto, on the other hand, could not quite capitalise on the stroke of luck he was provided, being dropped once, while the Lankans also failed to pick up a nick on a caught-behind. The skipper could manage only a 39-ball 40.

For Sri Lanka, Pathum Nissanka, who made 114 off 113 balls, and Charith Asalanka, who struck 91 off 93, did exactly what Soumya and Shanto couldn't do and Hridoy feels that their dismissals were the defining points of the match.

"I think the wicket was 320 to 340 wicket," Hridoy told reporters at the post-match press conference yesterday.

"I feel that they [Asalanka and Nissanka] built a very good partnership. But if Soumya bhai or I, the batters who got set, could carry on for longer… at the top when Soumya bhai and I were batting, I was telling him that Soumya bhai today you have to play. If his innings or Shanto bhai's innings would have been a bit bigger, the game would be different," he added.

After middle-order did not have much to contribute, Hridoy took it upon himself to carry the innings, building a 47-run stand with number eight Tanzim Hasan Sakib and then a 23-ball 50-run unbeaten stand with Taskin Ahmed, who struck 18 off 10 as Bangladesh managed 286 for 7.

Hridoy said that the lower-order batters getting runs was a positive and he was confident in their abilities.

"Those who come last in the batting order, you will find their runs had an impact on the team. The runs Taskin bhai or Sakib got and with both I think I had 40 or 50-run stands. These runs give the team courage. When lower-order batters contribute it will always be a good sign for the team," he said.

Hridoy had struck sixes off the last two deliveries to remain unbeaten on 96 but said he had no regrets, reminding all that he was dropped on six.

"I don't have any regrets. You could say I was on 96 and many things could have happened if there was another ball left. But what I feel, the most important thing is that I could have gotten out in the first ball. My plan is that when I get a start I try to make the innings bigger," he concluded.