Desk Report:
After the loss to Sri Lanka, Zaker Ali Anik blamed the wind for their batting failure in a press conference. He said, ‘Wind is a factor. You can’t die on both sides of this field. You have to play on one side of the ground.’
Of course, the wind was blowing in Abu Dhabi at the start of the match. But that cannot be an excuse for the defeat! That is why many cricket fans in the country are surprised by Zaker’s excuse. Some are even raising a counter question – ‘Sri Lanka also played in the same conditions, if they can do it, why can’t we?’
Former BCB selector and member of the technical committee of this year’s Asia Cup organizing committee Minhajul Abedin Nannu was surprised to hear Zaker’s excuse. He told the media in Abu Dhabi today that wind cannot be an excuse for poor play. In his words, ‘I have never heard (such an allegation). Sri Lanka also batted in the same conditions, they have adapted to it. After playing one or two overs on the field, you can understand where and how to play shots. It is the responsibility of the batter.
Nannu believes that Bangladesh’s batters have failed to fulfill this responsibility, ‘The ball skidded on the Abu Dhabi wicket. Very normal cricket has to be played here. And the field is also quite big. The sides of this field are much bigger than other fields. You have to think a lot about short balls here.’ But Bangladesh’s batters could not play. After losing this match, Bangladesh is in the complex equation of the Super Four. Afghanistan is at the top of the ‘B’ group points table, in net run rate (+4.700). Sri Lanka is in second position (+2.595). Bangladesh is third with a net run rate of -0.650. So to keep their hopes of the Super Four alive, they will not only have to defeat Afghanistan in their last match, but the Sri Lankans will also have to look at the results of the remaining two matches.
However, Nannu still sees a chance for Bangladesh to play in the Super Four, ‘I will not say that the opportunity is completely gone. Of course there is a chance. “There is a game with Afghanistan. So if we can do something good here, we will definitely have a chance to go to the Super Four.”
