Bangladesh Batsmen Backed by Shadman Islam After Day 1 Stumbles vs. Sri Lanka

Bangladesh's Shadman Islam has voiced his support for the team's batting performance following a challenging first day in the second Test against Sri Lanka.

Shadman Islam scored 46 runs on the first day of the Test. © AFP

Despite several batsmen making starts, Bangladesh struggled to convert them into substantial scores. The opening day was hampered by rain, contributing to the team's difficulties.

While Shadman led the way with 46, other batsmen, including Mominul Haque (21), Mushfiqur Rahim (35), Litton Kumar Das (34), and Mehidy Hasan (31), showed promise but ultimately failed to capitalize on their opportunities.

Speaking to reporters after the day's play, Shadman defended the batsmen's approach. "You cannot score runs without playing shots. We played shots in Galle too where those ended in boundaries. But unfortunately, maybe it was not our day today," he stated.

He dismissed suggestions of reckless batting, attributing the dismissals to the nature of the game. "Nothing like that (trying to score at a good pace). Maybe some shots were wrong. It's part of cricket," he added.

Shadman also pointed to the slow nature of the wicket as a contributing factor. "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 explained.

The opener also highlighted the impact of the rain interruptions, noting that batsmen had to readjust after each break in play. "The batters need to get set again after a break. Maybe it played a role," he said. "No one wants to get out intentionally. Maybe it was a bad day for us," he added.

Furthermore, Shadman defended the captain's decision to bat first and expressed optimism about their chances if they could reach a total of 270 to 280. "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 asserted.

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

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka's bowling coach, Thilina Kandamby, expressed surprise at the pitch conditions at the SSC. He noted the inconsistent pace and bounce, a departure from the venue's usual characteristics.

"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," said Kandamby.

He praised the efforts of his fast bowlers, stating, "The fast bowlers really showed character. They picked up key wickets and kept us in the game."

Kandamby also commented on Prabath Jayasuriya's form, expressing confidence in his ability to bounce back. "Prabath is slightly out of form, but we believe in his experience. I'm confident he'll bounce back," he said.