‘We could make these scores bigger, 150, 170 or 200’: Shadman hopes top order can make centuries count for more
Shadman Islam completed a century on the second day of the first Test against West Indies in Mirpur on Thursday, but spoke only of regret, saying Bangladesh’s top order should have turned starts into bigger scores after the hosts were bowled out for 272.
“If our top order batters could make these scores bigger, 150, 170 or 200, perhaps the team would have scored 450 or 500. We made a mistake, and we will try to make our innings as big as possible when we get another chance.”
The left handed opener reached three figures with the second ball of the day after being 99 not out when bad light ended day one, then fell lbw to debutant spinner Joshua Bishop for 105 from 234 balls, with 11 fours.
It came after 17 innings, his third Test century and first in the World Test Championship (WTC), following two against Zimbabwe. Over the previous three years he had scored eight half centuries but only one hundred, and ranked seventh among Test openers for runs.
“I was always wondering why I kept getting out after reaching a certain point. I have worked a lot on this over the last few days. I felt it might be a fitness issue, so I worked hard on my fitness. Perhaps there were shortcomings in my batting too.”
Shadman said he took advice from Mohammad Ashraful, who was removed as batting coach on Saturday, and Mohammad Salahuddin, now acting in the role. Both told him to keep working on those areas and perhaps better results would follow.
Bangladesh began the day on 213-3 and lost their last seven wickets for 59 runs before lunch. Towhid Hridoy, who had retired hurt on 42 the previous day, returned but added nothing, and Shadman does not blame the pitch for the slide.
“When Litton and I were batting, if we could have stayed together longer and built a bigger partnership, perhaps the picture would have been different.”
“It wasn’t anything like that because of the pitch. Maybe they bowled well.”
“The ball Hridoy got out to was more or less a half-volley. It was there to be hit. Hridoy plays these shots, and he scores runs with these shots.”
Bad light had stopped play early on day one, but Shadman does not think it disrupted the batters. He also says the thought of 99 never weighed on him, even though the team had been nervously waiting for his century.
“I don’t think our rhythm was broken. After the break, Alhamdulillah, we batted quite well. We didn’t lose any wickets during that time.”
“Nothing like that was going through my mind, because these things happen in cricket. I was thinking about how to go out the next day, make the innings a little bigger and play well for the team.”
Opening has been a long running concern in WTC matches, with only one opening stand beyond 100 in four years, between Zakir Hasan and Najmul Hossain Shanto against India in 2022. Shadman says it is now discussed often.
“We now discuss a lot how to build a good opening partnership so that the team can score more runs and put ourselves in a good position.”
West Indies reached 90-1 in reply, but Bangladesh’s spinners hit back, taking three wickets for seven runs. The visitors ended day two on 134-4, still 138 behind, with bad light stopping play. Shadman is relying on Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam.
“Of course, the more of a lead we can take, the better it will be for us. Given how we are bowling, if we can take quick wickets early tomorrow morning, we will try to bowl them out as quickly as possible.”
Meanwhile, West Indies opener John Campbell, who scored a fifty before falling to Miraz, believes the contest is finely balanced and that one or two big partnerships could swing it his side’s way.
“I think the match is pretty evenly poised. If we can build one or two more big partnerships, we will be ahead in the match tomorrow.”