Shadman Islam Defends Bangladesh Batting After Sri Lanka Test Day One Setbacks

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

Shadman top-scored for Bangladesh with 46 on a rain-hit opening day © AFP

While several Bangladesh batsmen managed to get decent starts, none could capitalize and convert them into substantial scores on the rain-affected opening day.

Shadman himself led the way with 46 runs, while other contributions came from Mominul Haque (21), Mushfiqur Rahim (35), Litton Kumar Das (34), and Mehidy Hasan (31). However, after appearing well-set, each of them succumbed to loose shots.

Speaking to reporters after the day's play, Shadman defended the approach of the batsmen. "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 that the team was trying to score too quickly, clarifying, "Nothing like that (trying to score at a good pace). Maybe some shots were wrong. It's part of cricket."

Shadman also noted the slightly sluggish nature of the pitch. "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.

He further added that the repeated rain interruptions affected the Bangladeshi batsmen.

"The batters need to get set again after a break. Maybe it played a role."

When asked about the dismissals, Shadman said: "No one wants to get out intentionally. Maybe it was a bad day for us."

The opener defended the captain's choice to bat first, maintaining that a total of around 270 to 280 runs 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 asserted.

He concluded by emphasizing the importance of disciplined bowling. "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's behavior, noting its unusual two-paced nature, a departure from the typical true bounce seen at the SSC. He commended his fast bowlers for their character and key wickets, and expressed confidence in Prabath Jayasuriya's return to form.