We couldn't grab the opportunity with both hands: Shanto

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto expressed his disappointment at not grabbing the opportunity to win the first Test against Sri Lanka, despite reducing the visitors to 57-5 in the first morning session of the game.

Sri Lanka recovered from the collapse, thanks to skipper Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis to eventually crush Bangladesh by 328 runs at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium today.

However after their meek surrender, the question came to the fore that if Bangladesh got relaxed following Sri Lanka's slump.

"We are not relaxed (after reducing Sri Lanka to 57-5). There is no option to be relaxed. Opportunity came to us but we couldn't grab it with both hands. However everyone gave their 100 percent, that is what I can say," Shanto said.

"It happens sometimes, but the way Dhananjaya and Kamindu batted, credit goes to them. The way we started, really proud of our seam bowlers. The wicket was good. There was movement early on. We have to improve our new-ball batting," Shanto added.

The captain felt they need to work extensively after making enormous mistakes in the first Test.

The players played some reckless shots, specially the shots that Liton Das and Shanto himself played, created massive uproar as Bangladesh failed to go past 200 runs in both of the innings.

"Every match is a learning curve. You can find out the mistakes easily if you would like to. We had done a lot of mistakes. Hopefully we'll work on those extensively to come back strongly in the next match," Shanto said.

"I can tell about my shot, it was injudicious and I played it wrong time. I could leave it because it was early in the innings and the ball was new. But I can't tell about Liton's shot. He himself can explain it well but yes, we hardly saw such type of dismissal in Test cricket. I think its misjudgment. We all are careful to do well in the next match," he added.

Sri Lanka recovered from 57-5 to post 280 in the first innings and thereafter bowled Bangladesh out for 188 to gain a 92-run lead. In the second innings, the visitors also tasted a top order collapse but set an improbable 511-run target for Bangladesh to win the game, after compiling 418 before being all out.

In both innings, Kamindu Mendis and captain Dhananjaya de Silva were the protagonists. While they added 202 runs in the first innings, in the second innings, they shared 173 runs to bail the side out of danger.

In the process, both of them hit centuries in both innings to achieve a rare feat.

"Lot of work has to be done before the next Test and we are going to have a plan to come back strongly," Shanto said.

Shanto however heaped praise on Mominul Haque who played a lone defiant innings, stranded on 87 amid Bangladesh's batting tumble in the second innings, in which they were all out for 182.

"He played an outstanding innings, he showed his experience. We were expecting a knock like this from him, hopefully he can continue. If someone could support him, the match could have gone to fifth day." He remarked.

Source: BSS