We are not a team to score 130 runs: Tamim

We are not a team to score 130 runs: Tamim

Bangladesh ODI captain Tamim Iqbal laid the blame on the batting unit for the humiliating defeat in the first ODI against hosts New Zealand at Dunedin on Saturday.

Bangladesh sent to bat first after losing the toss struggled against the Kiwi pacers and posted 131 runs before getting all-out inside the 42nd over.

In reply the hosts chased the target with eight wickets in hand and went 1-0 up in the three-match series.

27 runs by middle-order batsman Mahmudullah was the most in the innings as New Zealand left-arm pacer Trent Boult rattled the Bangladesh line-up with four wickets conceding 27 runs in 8.5 overs.

Opening batsman Tamim said the result is the outcome of the batsmen gifting away wickets through wrong shot selection.

“Yes it was difficult to bat on early in the game. There was some good swing but if you look into our dismissals, three to four of them were really soft, which we do not expect. We always feel proud of our batting. We are not a team to score 130 runs regardless how difficult the situation is,” said Tamim following the game.

“There is no doubt that we did not play well. We scored 130 because of wrong shot selection. I hope we will not repeat the soft dismissals and other mistakes in the next game. There is no option for our batting unit but to score at least 270 or 280 runs,” said the Bangladesh ODI captain.

Bangladesh in the game went with a playing XI with Soumya Sarkar in at No 3.

The decision irked many given the team management has been emphasizing recently on seeing left-handed batsman Soumya late down the order, at seven.

Explaining the change of Soumya’s batting number Tamim said, “Yes, we have being saying we want Soumya at No 7. But if you look at the XI that we played (Saturday) you will not see a sixth bowler.

“Mahmudullah is not being able to bowl due to back injury, it might be that he will not be able to bowl throughout the series. So Soumya was our sixth bowling option and was well suited to play at three with the XI that we played. Also, he is experienced in playing at three and has played well in New Zealand. We played with five bowlers and if we needed a backup Soumya was our option. This was the plan,” Tamim explained.

Bangladesh captain Tamim finds no issue in preparation for the series.

Bangladesh had reached New Zealand on February 25 and following a two-week long quarantine got enough time to prepare in the local condition.

“Like I had said it earlier, we will not blame it on our preparation. There cannot be any excuse. We were in 14-day quarantine but were able to practice from day eight in small groups for a week. Then we had camp in Queenstown, so I do not think there was any lapse with our preparation,” said Tamim.

“We have been in New Zealand for some two to three times in last four years. We know what to expect here. So it cannot be an excuse that we are not prepared well,” the southpaw added.