SA vs BAN 1st Test: I Apologise To The Nation, Says Mushfiqur Rahim After 333-Run Defeat

Oct 2, 2017 at 8:33 PM

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SA vs BAN 1st Test: I Apologise To The Nation, Says Mushfiqur Rahim After 333-Run Defeat

A disappointed Mushfiqur Rahim gave a no-holds-barred interview after his side’s spectacular capitulation in the first Test against South Africa on Monday (October 2). The Tigers had arrived in South Africa on the back of some watershed moments in their Test history. Mushfiqur Rahim & Co. had defeated the likes of England, Sri Lanka and Australia in Tests in the last 12 months and were high on confidence for the first game.

However, it did not take long for the confidence to evaporate as they suffered a heavy 333-run defeat. Chasing an improbable total of 424, the visitors were all out for a paltry 90. Furious with his team’s display, Rahim did not refrain from slamming his teammates while also admitting that he was ashamed of the way his team lost the game.

“I am ashamed,” Mushfiqur told reporters at Senwes Park. “After a long time I saw a session where we lost even before being lost. I really don’t know why it happened. It is disappointing because I really forgot when we batted in this manner. You can lose a match in many ways but we have the ability to bat for two sessions.”

Bangladesh were pretty much on the backfoot right from the start after their skipper surprisingly decided to field first. The hosts, nevertheless, made the most of the conditions and scored 496 for 3.

When asked about the decision to bowl first, Rahim said:

“You can say we could have batted but there is no guarantee that we would put a 500 plus score on the board. All of us took this decision (to bowl first). We didn’t know much about South African wickets, so it was hard for us to predict. We practiced on totally different wickets. On any flat wicket, the help for the bowlers stay for the first two hours. If you think about what will happen in the fourth innings and then get bowled out for 100 in the first innings, it becomes difficult.”

He further severely criticised his bowlers for their horror show in the first innings where they could take just three wickets.

“Our bowlers let us down in the first innings,” he said. “It must have been a flat track but you could have bowled in different areas. No matter how flat the wicket remains, if you want to take any advantage, it has to to be in the first two hours of the opening day.

“At least you can bowl four to five deliveries in the right place and that is why you are selected. Otherwise even I can bowl two to six deliveries. I am not saying you swing both ways but at least bowl five balls in an over in the right areas. It could have prevented the free flow of runs and it is always different going to bat looking at 500 runs on the board and looking at 300 to 400 runs on the board,” he added.

Rahim concluded the press-conference by issuing an apology to his nation for the team’s failure before insisting his team needs to bounce back from the humbling defeat.

“I apologise to the nation as we could have dealt with it in a better way skill-wise as well as mentally. We have to play extremely well in the next match. We cannot return taking this kind of shame with us. We must try not to lose the respect that we have earned during the last two years,” Mushfiqur concluded.

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