|| CF Correspondent ||

Top-order’s failure does not seem to concern Bangladesh skipper, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, as he thinks it is helping them to strengthen their lower middle-order.

Bangladesh will take on Zimbabwe in the second ODI of the series at Chittagong on October 24 with an aim to seal the series after winning the opening game by 28 runs.

Despite earning a positive result in the series-opener it remained a matter of concern for the hosts as far as putting up a clinical batting effort is concerned.

The heroics of Imrul Kayes, who scored a match-winning century, and the impressive showdown by the comeback-lad Mohammad Saifuddin, who made half-century coming at number eight, helped the hosts avoid some embarrassment.

Their 127-run seventh-wicket stand looked to be the decisive factor in drawing the fate of the match after Zimbabwe failed to keep up the momentum after reducing them to 139/6.

For Bangladesh it seemed the trend is continuing for a while as they were bailed by individual brilliance instead of a combined effort the top-order batsman.

When asked whether he is bothered as they are taking the ongoing series as well as the next three series respectively against West Indies, New Zealand, and Ireland, as an ideal platform to make their next World Cup plan, Mashrafe responded negatively.

“There are two sides of it [top-order failure],” Mashrafe told reporters at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium on Tuesday. “I am rather happy that Saifuddin scored runs because these kinds of situation [batting collapse] help us to see their [lower-order] potential. It is true that it is not an ideal position, but unless these kinds of situation arise their confidence won’t be raised.”

“With some other team as the top order clicks their middle order is not exposed but in our case even our late order is exposed. We could make a comeback and certainly it will help us to go forward,” he said.