Bangladesh's Shadman Defends Batting Display After Day 1 Stumbles vs. Sri Lanka

Shadman Islam, the opening batsman for Bangladesh, has voiced his support for the team's batting performance following a difficult first day in the second Test match against Sri Lanka.

Despite several batsmen managing to get decent starts, they were unable to convert those into substantial scores, leading to a disappointing end to the rain-affected opening day.

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

Shadman himself scored a team-high 46 runs, while other batsmen such as Mominul Haque (21), Mushfiqur Rahim (35), Litton Kumar Das (34), and Mehidy Hasan (31) all made starts. However, after withstanding the initial pressure, they failed to maintain their composure and capitalize on their opportunities.

"You can't score runs without taking risks. We played aggressively in Galle as well, and those shots resulted in boundaries. Unfortunately, today might not have been our day," Shadman told reporters after the day's play.

When asked about the team's scoring pace, Shadman responded, "It's not about trying to score quickly. Perhaps some of the shots were poorly chosen. It's all part of the game."

He also commented on the pitch conditions, saying, "I felt the wicket was a bit slow. There wasn't much movement in the morning, and we gave away our wickets. Hopefully, we can avoid that in the second innings."

Shadman suggested that the interruptions due to rain also contributed to their subpar performance, as batsmen had to readjust after losing their momentum.

"Batsmen need to get settled again after a break. Maybe that played a role," he stated. "No one wants to get out on purpose. Perhaps it was just a bad day for us."

Furthermore, Shadman defended the captain's decision to bat first, asserting that a total of around 270 to 280 runs would be competitive on the slow surface at the SSC.

"I didn't see anything to suggest that the decision to bat first was incorrect. The wicket was a little slow. I'm hoping that 270-280 will be a good score. If we bowl effectively, we can make a comeback, Insha'Allah," he said.

"If we can bowl in the right areas, we can bounce back because there is some assistance on the wicket," he added.

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

He remarked that the surface behaved unlike anything he had witnessed during his 15-year playing career.

"It's a rather unusual wicket at the SSC. Normally, you get consistent bounce here, but today it was a bit inconsistent. The pace and bounce weren't consistent, and the ball came off the surface slower than we anticipated," said Kandamby.

"The fast bowlers showed great character. They took crucial wickets and kept us in the game," he added.

"They [fast bowlers] focused heavily on fitness and bowling workloads, and the coaches have monitored them closely. That work is showing now," he said, expressing confidence that players currently out of form will 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.