Shanto Claims His Wicket ‘Ruined’ Bangladesh’s Match

SYLHET: Najmul Hossain Shanto, the captain of Bangladesh, has taken responsibility for his team’s three-wicket loss in the first Test against Zimbabwe. He suggested that his own dismissal significantly impacted the game’s outcome.

The home team held a somewhat advantageous position at the beginning of the second-to-last day, standing at 194/4 with a lead of 112 runs. Shanto, along with wicketkeeper Jaker Ali, were at the crease, holding scores of 60 and 21, respectively.

Bangladesh aimed to establish a substantial target, but they faced a major setback early in the day. On the second ball, Shanto’s attempt to pull a delivery outside off-stump resulted in an edge caught by Victor Nyauchi at deep fine leg.

“The truth is, our loss was my fault,” Shanto admitted.

“My early dismissal that morning essentially cost us the match. If Jaker Ali and I had managed to add another 50 or 60 runs, we would have been in a much stronger position. I don’t want to pass blame onto anyone else.

“I am accepting full accountability because my wicket fell at a crucial moment. I am always looking for opportunities to score.

“Perhaps I should have been more patient before attempting those shots. However, I would still attempt that shot; maybe my timing was off in this instance.”

His dismissal triggered a collapse, with Bangladesh losing their remaining five wickets for just 61 runs. This resulted in a total of 255, setting Zimbabwe a target of 174 runs.

The visitors, despite encountering difficulties, ultimately reached the target with seven wickets down, securing their first away Test victory since 2018.