Saif Hasan said the pitch was a bit challenging in the first ODI between Bangladesh and New Zealand. But he did not blame the surface for the loss.
The pitch drew attention from the start. A few balls kept low. That raised early doubts. As the match went on, the questions grew.
Before the series, coach Phil Simmons and captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz said they wanted lively wickets like the Pakistan series. But the first ODI did not match that idea.
The pitch was not very slow. It was also not like the one used against West Indies last October. Still, the bounce was uneven at times. The ball stopped on some deliveries. There was also turn. It was not easy for batters, especially new ones.
After the match, Saif spoke about the surface and the loss.
“I think the wicket was a bit challenging from the start. But we lost wickets at the wrong time. If I could have stayed longer… it was a bit easier for set batters. It was harder for new batters. So if I could have gone on, it might have become easier.”
He made it clear that the team should not use the pitch as an excuse.
“You saw the Pakistan series wickets. They were true wickets. This wicket was also good. It was not very bad. But I think we could have adjusted better and batted well. It was a bit challenging, but there is no excuse. We represent our country. We have the skill set, but unfortunately we could not do it today.”
He shared the same view again when asked more questions.
“The wicket was fine. We had an idea how it would be. Maybe it was a bit more uneven today. But we cannot hide behind that. We were in the game. Losing wickets at the wrong time pushed us back.”
Bangladesh chased 248. They needed 67 runs in the last 10 overs with six wickets in hand. The team was still in control. But the run rate slowed in the middle overs. They could not recover later. Wickets fell quickly and they lost by 26 runs.
Dean Foxcroft had a different view. He did well with bat and ball. He scored 59 off 58 balls. He also dismissed Litton Das.
Foxcroft said the pitch was fine and his team adjusted well.
“I think the pitch behaved well. In the past, we got mixed messages about wickets here. Credit to the practice wickets as well. They were very good and similar to today. Our job was to adjust, and we have no complaints.”
