After a thumping defeat in the first Test against West Indies in Chattogram on Sunday, Bangladesh captain Mominul Haque said they paid a heavy price due to absence of ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan in the match.
Shakib Al Hasan, who made his comeback to Tests after serving a one-year ban with this game, was unable to bowl in the final innings due to a groin injury.
“If we had Shakib in the middle, our bowling could have been better. He’s a senior bowler and batsman. We’ve missed service,” captain Mominul said after the match in a recorded video speech, reports UNB.
Tigers paid a heavy price for that, he added.
Mominul also lauded the tourists for playing excellent cricket.
“It was unbelievable from the West Indies. They played really well. Many unbelievable things happen in cricket,” he said.
“I think our bowlers failed to bowl in the right areas in this game. Two of their batsmen were more than good,” the captain said after the match in a recorded video speech.
Mominul, who is leading Bangladesh for the fifth time in Test, said the Tigers had been optimistic about victory in the match and performed well in all categories in the first four days.
“I didn’t think that we can lose in this game,” he said.
He said they now need to regroup and play good cricket in Dhaka.
“We’ve to do well in every department of the game,” he added.
The second and final Test of Bangladesh vs West Indies series will take place in Dhaka from February 11.
The Caribbeans are now leading the two-match Bangladesh vs West Indies Test series by 1-0.
In Chattogram Test, Bangladesh had been in the driving seat in the first four days and needed to pick seven wickets on the fifth day. The West Indies, on the other hand, required 285 runs with seven wickets in hand.
Debutant Kyle Mayers hit a double century and had a 216-run partnership with Booners to help his team snatch victory from the jaws of the Tigers.
Mayers is the second West Indian player after Kirk Edwards to hit a double century on debut. Edwards achieved the feat in 2011 against India.