Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto once again echoed familiar reasons for his team's dismal performance after a crushing 133-run defeat to India in the final T20I of the three-match series in Hyderabad.
India's Sanju Samson led the charge with a spectacular 111 off 47 balls, sealing Bangladesh’s fate with an overwhelming performance that included 11 fours and 8 sixes.
After the defeat, Shanto pointed to the team's inability to execute their plans, both in batting and bowling, as key factors in their downfall. "We didn't play our best cricket. We didn't execute our plans as a batting group in all three matches. Bowling-wise, a couple of overs were good in some matches, but today all the bowlers struggled," Shanto explained during the post-match presentation.
The series, which ended in a sweep for India, highlighted several glaring issues within the Bangladesh team, including a lack of skill, poor planning, and fragile self-belief. Shanto urged his players to acknowledge their shortcomings and take more responsibility moving forward. "It is very important that we believe in ourselves that we can compete against any team," he emphasized.
Despite resistance from Towhid Hridoy, who scored an unbeaten 63 off 42 balls, and Litton Das, who added 42 off 25 balls, their efforts were insufficient to cover up the magnitude of the defeat.
Shanto did, however, highlight a few positives, noting Hridoy's impressive innings and the efforts of the seamers, while admitting the top-order batting needed significant improvement. "We have to change a lot of things, especially the home wicket. Players need to take responsibility," he added.
As Bangladesh faces growing criticism for their lackluster performances, Shanto's repeated explanations may no longer satisfy fans and experts, who are calling for deeper reflection and more substantial changes in the team's approach.
