With their recent home record in ODIs being absolutely terrific, fans expected Bangladesh to do well in the series opener in New Zealand. However, the Tigers were decimated in the very first game as the Kiwis seemed way too dominant for the visitors. The first ODI ended with a comprehensive victory for the hosts by 77 runs as Bangladesh fell apart in a 340+ run-chase.
Post his side’s defeat in the first ODI, skipper Mashrafe Mortaza admitted the sloppy fielding put on show by his team was quite disappointing. Mortaza was also of the view that wicketkeeper batsman Mushfiqur Rahim got injured at the wrong time and that hampered Bangladesh’s run-chase.
“I thought we were lethargic in our fielding,” Mortaza said. “It was pretty disappointing. It would have motivated the bowlers had we fielded a little better. They took a lot of twos and threes, which we could have checked. We wanted to restrict them within 280 to 300, and, even if we had lost early wickets, we could have made a game out of that sort of target.”
Mortaza added his pacers would have to adjust to the difference in pitches in New Zealand. “New Zealand’s short balls were head height, while we could bowl up to chest height which was easier for them to play shots. I think we should have adjusted it earlier, but we still have two matches left.”
Crediting Kiwi batsmen Tom Latham and Colin Munro for their good show, the Bangladesh captain said: “Latham and Munro took the game away from us. They handled the bowlers really well, and all the credit goes to these two batsmen. But I think we bowled too many short balls to him.”