South Africa vs Bangladesh, 1st Test: I am ashamed and disappointed with the result, says Mushfiqur Rahim

Bangladesh lost the first test by 333 runs. (Source: AP)

Bangladesh faced a hammering defeat against South Africa in the first match of the two-Test series when they were beaten by 333 runs in Potchefstroom. Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim expressed his disappointment on the loss.

“I am ashamed,” Mushfiqur told reporters at Senwes Park. “After a long time I saw a session where we lost even before being lost. I really don’t know why it happened. It is disappointing because I really forgot when we batted in this manner. You can lose a match in many ways but we have the ability to bat for two sessions,” Mushfiqur said.

Bangladesh’s first innings was wrapped up at 320 in reply to South Africa’s 496/3 (d) while they were bundled out for mere 90 in the second innings. Talking about the same, Rahim suggested that opting to bowl first turned out to be a wrong decision for his side.

“You can say we could have batted but there is no guarantee that we would put a 500 plus score on the board. All of us took this decision (to bowl first). We didn’t know much about South African wickets, so it was hard for us to predict. We practiced on totally different wickets. On any flat wicket, the help for the bowlers stay for the first two hours. If you think about what will happen in the fourth innings and then get bowled out for 100 in the first innings, it becomes difficult.”

Mushfiqur further criticsed his bowlers and said that bowling in right areas could have changed the course of the game.

“Our bowlers let us down in the first innings,” he said. “It must have been a flat track but you could have bowled in different areas. No matter how flat the wicket remains, if you want to take any advantage, it has to to be in the first two hours of the opening day.”

“At least you can bowl four to five deliveries in the right place and that is why you are selected. Otherwise even I can bowl two to six deliveries. I am not saying you swing both ways but at least bowl five balls in an over in the right areas. It could have prevented the free flow of runs and it is always different going to bat looking at 500 runs on the board and looking at 300 to 400 runs on the board,” said Mushfiqur.”

“I agree that it is difficult to play this kind of bowlers on the fifth day, but still I feel the wicket was good for batting. Our batsman could not show their potential and as a captain it is frustrating because at least we could have put up a fight. I apologise to the nation as we could have dealt with it in a better way skill-wise as well as mentally. We have to play extremely well in the next match. We cannot return taking this kind of shame with us. We must try not to lose the respect that we have earned during the last two years,’ Mushfiqur concluded.