Shadman Islam Backs Bangladesh Batters Despite Day 1 Setbacks Against Sri Lanka

Bangladesh's Shadman Islam has voiced his support for the team's batting lineup following a challenging first day in the second Test against Sri Lanka.

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

Despite promising starts from several batsmen, none were able to convert their innings into substantial scores. This was largely due to questionable shot selection, resulting in Bangladesh concluding the rain-affected day in a precarious position.

While Shadman led the way with 46, other batsmen including Mominul Haque (21), Mushfiqur Rahim (35), Litton Kumar Das (34), and Mehidy Hasan (31) all showed glimpses of their potential. However, after weathering the initial pressure, they ultimately faltered.

"You cannot score runs without playing shots," Shadman stated 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 any suggestion of reckless intent, adding, "Nothing like that (trying to score at a good pace). Maybe some shots were wrong. It's part of cricket."

Shadman also noted the sluggish nature of the pitch. "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," he explained.

He further suggested that the intermittent rain disrupted the batsmen's rhythm. "The batters need to get set again after a break. Maybe it played a role."

When questioned about the dismissals, Shadman responded, "No one wants to get out intentionally. Maybe it was a bad day for us."

The opener also defended the captain's decision to bat first, believing that a total 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]," he said. "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."

"If we can bowl in good areas, then we can make a comeback as there's help on the wicket," he added, expressing optimism for Bangladesh's chances.

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

He noted that the SSC surface played unlike anything he had experienced in his 15-year 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," said Kandamby.

Kandamby praised his fast bowlers. "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 said adding that he is expecting out of form to come back good sooner than later.

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