Shadman Islam Stands Firm Behind Bangladesh Batters After Day 1 Struggles Against Sri Lanka

Bangladesh opener Shadman Islam has voiced his support for the team's batting lineup following a lackluster performance on the opening day of the second Test match against Sri Lanka.

Shadman top-scored for Bangladesh with 46 on a rain-hit opening day © AFP

Despite several batsmen managing to get decent starts, none were able to convert them into substantial scores. This was partly due to questionable shot selection, as Bangladesh concluded a rain-affected first day in a precarious position.

Shadman himself led the way with a score of 46. Other batsmen who reached double figures included Mominul Haque (21), Mushfiqur Rahim (35), Litton Kumar Das (34), and Mehidy Hasan (31). While these players initially looked promising and seemed ready to seize their opportunities after weathering the early pressure, they ultimately faltered.

"You cannot score runs without playing shots," Shadman told reporters after the day's play. "We played shots in Galle too where those ended in boundaries. But unfortunately, maybe it was not our day today."

He dismissed suggestions that the team was trying to score too quickly, stating, "Nothing like that (trying to score at a good pace). Maybe some shots were wrong. It's part of cricket."

Shadman also commented on the pitch conditions, saying, "I think the wicket was a little bit slow. There was no movement in the morning but we threw our wickets away but hopefully we won't do that in the second innings."

The opener further suggested that the interruptions due to rain contributed to their underwhelming performance, as batsmen had to readjust and rebuild their innings after each break in play.

"The batters need to get set again after a break. Maybe it played a role," he explained. "No one wants to get out intentionally. Maybe it was a bad day for us."

Defending his captain's decision to bat first, Shadman maintained that a score of around 270 to 280 would be competitive on the slow surface at the SSC.

"No, I haven't seen anything like that from which we can say that the decision was wrong [opting to bat first]. The wicket was a bit slow. I hope 270-280 is a good score. If we can bowl well, we will make a comeback Insha'Allah," he asserted.

He concluded by saying, "If we can bowl in good areas, then we can make a comeback as there's help on the wicket."

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka's bowling coach, Thilina Kandamby, expressed his surprise at the pitch's behavior at the SSC.

Kandamby noted that the surface played in a manner he had seldom witnessed during his 15-year playing career.

"It's quite an unusual wicket at the SSC. Normally, you get true bounce here, but today it was a bit two-paced. The pace and bounce weren't consistent, and the ball came off the surface slower than we expected," Kandamby explained.

He praised his team's bowlers, stating, "The fast bowlers really showed character. They picked up key wickets and kept us in the game."

"They (fast bowlers) focused heavily on fitness and bowling workloads, and the coaches have monitored them closely. That work is showing now," he added, expressing confidence that players out of form would soon return to their best.

"Prabath is slightly out of form, but we believe in his experience. I'm confident he'll bounce back," he concluded.