Afghanistan began their ODI series against Bangladesh with a five-wicket victory at Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, but captain Hashmatullah Shahidi was not completely pleased after the match.
Despite the convincing win, he felt his team could have finished the game more comfortably if senior batter Rahmat Shah had stayed at the crease.
Speaking to reporters, Shahidi said the batting start was solid, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Rahmat Shah leading the way.
“Both of them played good innings,” he said. “Gurbaz got out to a good ball, but Rahmat gifted his wicket away. That was disappointing.”
The captain explained that once batters settle in, they should take responsibility to finish the job.
“When you are set and understand the conditions, you must see the game through,” Shahidi said. “Rahmat is a senior player, so I expect more from him. I’m not happy with how he got out.”
However, Shahidi praised the overall team effort.
“I’m happy with how the boys played,” he said. “It was a good game for us, and I’m looking forward to the next ones. Personally, I’ve been working a lot on my fielding fitness. Today went well — I managed a nice run-out and took a catch.”
The Afghan skipper also spoke about his aim to improve further as a fielder.
“I want to become one of the best fielders in the side,” he said with a smile. “I was a decent fielder before too.”
Shahidi credited his bowlers for maintaining pressure during the middle overs.
“They bowled with good line and length and didn’t allow Bangladesh to score freely,” he said. “Their discipline made a big difference in the match.”
