Mashrafee praised bowlers for keeping their nerves
Pic: Collected
|| CF Correspondent ||
Bangladesh skipper Mashrafee bin Mortaza praised his bowlers for keeping their nerves in the series clinching the second one-day international against Zimbabwe at Sylhet on Tuesday.
Four Zimbabwean batsman scored half century that includes experience Sikandar Raza 66 of 57 balls along with maiden fifties of Tinashe Kamunhukamwe (51), Wesley Madhevere (52) and Donald Tiripano (55 not out).
‘’We did not know that this kind of innings [by Tiripano] was waiting for us,’’ Mashrafee told reporters at the post match press conference.
‘’It was difficult for them but 70 runs in 40 balls is achievable in modern cricket and the game is on in good wicket. At one stage the match was fifty-fifty and we could have lost the match,’’ he said adding at one stage the pitch became easier due to dew and credited his bowlers for keeping their nerves.
"When their score was around 140, Raza was at the crease, me and the bowlers were discussing that the ball was coming quite easily on to the bat,’’ said Mashrafee.
"Because the ball wasn't gripping on the wicket, they were charging quite often against our spinners. I had to bring in Riyad into the attack but then Taijul came back strongly. They were playing the pacers quite well in the end so it was hard to bring back Mehidy towards the end,’’ he said.
"There was dew so it was hard to grip the ball, and the bowlers couldn't bowl to their strength. I think it really helps us for the future to win such tight games, to find out how we should react in these situations,’’ he said.
