Taskin Ahmed believes Bangladesh should have chased down 272 on a batting-friendly Abu Dhabi pitch, expressing his disappointment with the team’s batting after their 99-run defeat to Zimbabwe in the opening match of the tri-nation ODI series.
The fast bowler said the target was achievable, but Bangladesh failed to build a single meaningful partnership during the chase.
“Two hundred and seventy (272) was definitely chaseable. In these conditions, we should have chased it. We did not play well at all. We should have chased it, but unfortunately, we could not build a single partnership,” Taskin said after the match.
Despite Bangladesh’s impressive start with the ball, Zimbabwe posted a challenging total, thanks largely to a 150-run fourth-wicket stand between Brendan Taylor and Craig Ervine. Taskin rued Bangladesh’s failure to restrict their opponents to a lower total even after breaking the partnership.
“Our start was really good. The pitch was quite good for batting. They had a big partnership in the middle. Even after breaking that partnership, I thought we could have restricted them to a decent score. Unfortunately, we could not win afterwards,” he said.
Despite his impressive bowling performance, Taskin insisted that the team’s defeat mattered more than his individual figures. He took three wickets in the match.
“Losing a match is disappointing for both the player and the team. Whether I take three wickets or five, it has no value if we do not win the match,” he said.
Bangladesh were without Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who missed the match due to fever, while Litton Das has been ruled out of the series with an injury. Taskin acknowledged the absence of the two key players but refused to use it as an excuse.
“Unfortunately, Miraz had a fever and could not play. He is one of our key ODI players. But the others who played are also capable enough. Unfortunately, it just did not happen for us today,” he said.
Taskin also expressed his disappointment over Litton’s injury, which has ruled the batter out of the series.
“Litton is one of the best batters in our team, but he suddenly picked up a quadriceps injury. Miraz and Litton are both key players in our ODI side. They could not play, but we should still have played better cricket,” he said.
Taskin believes the Abu Dhabi surface offers enough assistance for batters to build substantial partnerships, even under pressure. Referring to Bangladesh’s recent Test draw against Afghanistan at the same venue, he said Zimbabwe had demonstrated how to make the most of the conditions.
“This pitch is one where runs can be scored. Partnerships are possible, and they showed that. They punished the bad balls and handled the good deliveries really well. On a good pitch, no matter how much pressure a team is under, building partnerships can help any side post a decent score,” he said.
The pacer also praised Zimbabwe’s team balance, pointing to their experience of playing together for a long time and their batting depth.
“Zimbabwe’s team has also been playing together for a long time. They have considerable batting depth and plenty of all-rounders,” he said.
Bangladesh will face Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi on 21 October, with victory essential to keep their hopes of reaching the final alive. Taskin is determined to help the side bounce back in their final group match.
“There is still one game left. We will try to fight back strongly and make sure we qualify for the final,” he said.