BAN vs AUS: A Lead Of Over 300 Runs Will Be Good For Us To Challenge Australia: Mehidy Hasan
Jan 16, 2019 at 4:05 PM
Buoyed by their efforts in the first innings and with the pitch deteriorating, Bangladesh off-spinner Mehidy Hasan feels a 300-plus lead will be more than enough for the hosts to put up a stiff challenge against Australia in the ongoing Test at Dhaka.
After restricting the visitors to 18 for 3 on the opening day, the Bangladeshi bowlers did not take long to wrap up the innings as they bowled out Steve Smith & Co. for 217 and took a crucial lead of 43 runs. In reply, they finished the day on 45 for 1 with their overall lead extending to 88.
“Anything will be competitive on this track,” Hasan said after the day’s play.“I think a lead of over 300 runs will be good for us to challenge them. We scored 260 runs but managed to restrict them under it. We still got a few batsmen and if they can put on a good show we are confident to put up a good fight against them.”
Although Mehidy admitted that ‘anything’ would be competitive on the Dhaka track, he refrained from calling the pitch a tricky one. Neither of the team have managed to score more than 260 in the game so far but the young spinner feels his teammates are capable enough to handle the situation well from now on.
“I don’t think it is a very tricky wicket,” he said. “Though at times, it becomes difficult, like when the ball makes unusual turns. When the ball is bowled in the right areas, sometimes it turns and sometimes it goes straight. You need to be cautious when you are batting. I am sure we can handle that as we have some quality batsmen in our team.”
The 19-year old further heaped praise on his fellow bowlers who never allowed the Australian batsmen to feel settled on a challenging track.
“I think our bowlers really bowled well and in partnerships,” Mehidy said. “No matter in what manner the wicket behaves, unless you can bowl in the right areas it is difficult to earn success. I think we managed to do that and it was due to that we are in this position.
“It was a unified effort by us as a bowling unit. While Shakib bhai bowled exceptionally, there was a little contribution by me along with Taijul and Mustafiz. Though he did not get any wicket still he managed to restrict the flow of runs,” he added.
Mehidy concluded by lauding his senior teammate Shakib Al Hasan who added another feather to his illustrated cap by now having a five-wicket haul against every Test-playing nation. The world number one all-rounder has now joined the elite club of Muttiah Muralitharan, Rangana Herath and Dale Steyn, who are the only ones to have taken five or more wickets in an innings against every Test-playing nation.
“You cannot finish talking about him as he is reaching one milestone after another. It’s a great honor to play alongside him as he shares his experience with us on his way to reach such heights,” Mehidy signed off.