Shadman Islam Backs Bangladesh Batters After Day 1 Stumbles Against Sri Lanka

Shadman Islam, the opening batsman for Bangladesh, has voiced his support for the team's batting lineup following their performance on the first day of the second Test match against Sri Lanka.

Shadman Islam scored a team-high 46 runs on a rain-affected day © AFP

Despite several batsmen achieving promising starts, none could convert them into substantial scores on the rain-affected opening day. Poor shot selection proved costly for the Bangladesh team.

While Shadman led the scoring with 46 runs, other batsmen like Mominul Haque (21), Mushfiqur Rahim (35), Litton Kumar Das (34), and Mehidy Hasan (31) also displayed initial promise. However, they struggled to maintain their composure after weathering the initial challenges.

"You cannot score runs without playing shots," Shadman stated in a press conference after the day's play. He referenced their previous match in Galle, where aggressive shots resulted in boundaries. "But unfortunately, maybe it was not our day today."

He dismissed the idea that they were specifically aiming for a high scoring rate, clarifying, "Maybe some shots were wrong. It's part of cricket."

Shadman also commented on the pitch conditions, saying, "I think the wicket was a little bit slow. There was no movement in the morning, but we threw our wickets away, but hopefully, we won't do that in the second innings."

He further suggested that the rain interruptions impacted their performance, as batsmen were forced to readjust after breaks, potentially disrupting their momentum. "The batters need to get set again after a break. Maybe it played a role," he explained. "No one wants to get out intentionally. Maybe it was a bad day for us."

Shadman defended the captain's decision to bat first, emphasizing that a score of around 270 to 280 would be competitive on the slow surface at the SSC. "No, I haven't seen anything like that from which we can say that the decision was wrong [opting to bat first]. The wicket was a bit slow. I hope 270-280 is a good score. If we can bowl well, we will make a comeback Insha'Allah," he said.

He added, "If we can bowl in good areas, then we can make a comeback as there's help on the wicket."

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka's bowling coach, Thilina Kandamby, expressed his surprise at the pitch's behavior at the SSC. He noted that the surface played unlike anything he had experienced during his 15-year career.

"It's quite an unusual wicket at the SSC. Normally, you get true bounce here, but today it was a bit two-paced. The pace and bounce weren't consistent, and the ball came off the surface slower than we expected," Kandamby explained.

He praised the Sri Lankan fast bowlers for their performance: "The fast bowlers really showed character. They picked up key wickets and kept us in the game."

Kandamby highlighted the bowlers' dedication to fitness and workload management, adding, "They (fast bowlers) focused heavily on fitness and bowling workloads, and the coaches have monitored them closely. That work is showing now." He also expressed confidence in Prabath Jayasuriya's ability to regain his form soon. "Prabath is slightly out of form, but we believe in his experience. I'm confident he'll bounce back," he said.