'We play to win'

After the Chittagong epic, the Bangladesh team were back in the capital and practising in their most familiar surrounds – the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur this afternoon. 

There was general interest regarding the wicket that will be used for the second Test in Mirpur starting on Friday. It was the excellent pitch at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong that was the centre-piece of the greatest Test match played in Bangladesh, one which the hosts lost to England on the fifth morning by the narrow margin of 22 runs on Monday.

The discussion in cricket circles, despite the loss has been that Bangladesh played excellent cricket, even though they lost. But national opener Tamim Iqbal, who hit a monk-like 78 in trying conditions in the first innings of the match, is not so easily satisfied. 

"Everyone is saying that we played well, but we have discussed as a team that we cannot be so happy with so little," said Tamim to reporters after practice in Mirpur earlier today. "We should have won the game. We can take positives from the first Test, like competing for five days. We will try to win the next game. We play to win, which is a belief that is held by each and every cricketer who plays for Bangladesh."

Instead of focusing on the wicket -- which in Chittagong helped Bangladesh capture 20 opposition wickets for only the ninth time in Test cricket -- that they may get on Friday, Tamim wanted to focus on things they can control.  

"We have to utilise the wicket by playing well. We have to reduce our mistakes, and bowl according to the wicket. I think we are doing it that way, and we know that the wicket is out of our control."