Afif blames back to back wicket loss for defeat

All-rounder Afif Hossain believes back to back wickets cause Bangladesh the damage in the first T20I against hosts New Zealand at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Sunday. Bangladesh continued with their abysmal performance in the tour failing again with the bat and concede an ignominious 66-run defeat against New Zealand.

 On the day, the tourists were set to chase 211 runs but they could end with only 144 runs in 20 overs losing eight wickets. Only three batsmen could score more than 20 runs as Afif leading the board with 33-ball 45 involving five boundaries and one over boundary. The side lost its first wicket with 20 runs on the board in Liton Das (4) and reeled to 59 for 6 inside the eight over of the innings.

“We could have chased the target but we lost back to back wickets. When (Ish) Sodhi was taking quick wickets, I had planned to charge the other bowlers,” said Afif to the media following the game.

New Zealand bowler Ish Sodhi was pivotal in breaking Bangladesh batting line-up and finish with four for 28 in the game. The leg-spinner first removed Soumya Sarkar (5) and Mohammad Mithun (4) in the sixth over and then came back to dismiss Mahmudullah (11) and Mahedi Hasan (0) in consecutive deliveries in the eighth over. The four Bangladesh batsmen could add only a total of 20 runs to the board and that got the tourists on the back foot explained Afif. 

The only resistance with the bat for Bangladesh had come from Afif and Mohammad Saifuddin. The duo posted 63 runs in 53 balls for the seventh wicket. 

“The wicket was fine to bat on and the field as we know is not one of the largest. The boundary at straight was small. Their (New Zealand) batsmen have been able to take advantage of the field well. We could have batted better,” said Afif.

New Zealand are leading 1-0 of the three-T20I series living to their standard established in the ODI series against Bangladesh. The second T20I of the series is scheduled to take place on Tuesday at McLean Park in Napier.