Despite starting Day 4 on 60 not out, Shanto was dismissed on the very first ball of the day—an outcome he believes shifted the momentum in Zimbabwe’s favour and cost Bangladesh the match.

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Speaking at the post-match press conference, a remorseful Shanto said,

“If you ask me, I’ll say as captain, I alone lost us the match. Honestly, my dismissal ruined everything. If we had just a 50-run partnership at that point and could’ve set a lead of 220, we would’ve been in a much better position. I don’t want to point fingers at the team—I take full responsibility because I got out at a very crucial moment.”

While clearly disappointed with the loss, Shanto praised the efforts of spinners Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam, who put up a strong fight despite a small target to defend.

“If we analyze the match, we didn’t play good cricket—that’s why we lost. After my dismissal, Zimbabwe gained all the momentum. Miraz and Taijul bhai fought hard. They bowled exceptionally well. But we just didn’t have enough runs on the board.”

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Shanto also acknowledged his mistake in shot selection against Zimbabwe’s towering pacer Blessing Muzarabani, who used his height and bounce effectively throughout the match.

“I usually think about scoring runs. But in that situation, I could have taken more time. Yes, I often play that kind of shot, but given the match scenario, I shouldn’t have. It was a poor decision.”

Regarding the pitch, Shanto said Sylhet offered a balanced surface that supported both batters and bowlers. Despite the loss, he emphasized that Bangladesh should not exploit home advantage by opting for spin-friendly conditions in the next Test in Chattogram.