BAN vs AUS | We have to find a way to score on sluggish wickets, stresses Matthew Wade

08/04/2021

Australia’s stand-in skipper Matthew Wade, on the back of his side’s 23-run defeat against Bangladesh, revealed that the Dhaka wicket both skid and spun, and stressed that the Aussie batsmen need to find a way to score on such wickets. Mahmudullah, meanwhile, is hungry for more success.

History was created at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka on Tuesday as Bangladesh triumphed over Australia for the first time ever in T20I cricket. Having bowled first and restricted Bangladesh to a mere 131, the Aussies looked like they would stretch their unbeaten streak against the Tigers. But a shambolic showing with the bat ensured otherwise. No batsman barring Mitchell Marsh managed to score over 45, and scores of 0, 9, 1, 13, 7 and 8 from 6 of the Top 7 batsmen saw the visitors get bowled out for 108.

Like in the Caribbean, the inability to tackle spin cost Australia, and speaking post the first game, stand-in skipper Matthew Wade stressed that, going forward, his side will have to find methods to score runs on sluggish wickets.

“I thought the bowlers did a terrific job to restrict them to 130. But having lost 3 for 10, me and Marsh tried to resurrect the innings but unfortunately we couldn't do that. We have to find ways to score runs on such pitches,” Wade said.

Bangladesh set the tone with the ball on the very first ball of the chase, with off-spinner Mahedi Hasan castling Alex Carey with a good-length delivery that skidded on. Left-arm spinners Nasum Ahmed and Shakib accounted for the other Top 6 batters, and for the sixth time in their last seven T20Is, the Aussies ended up failing their test against spin. Wade revealed that the ball skidded-on alongside turning, and insisted that his side will have to eliminate the errors they committed today, going forward.

“The wickets spun on the West Indies, but here it skidded on in the first few overs and we didn't execute our plans. We have to eliminate the errors in the first six overs and then take it from there,” Wade said.

Bangladesh skipper Mahmudullah, meanwhile, lauded the effort put in by his players, but asserted that they have greater ambitions - that of winning the series. Mahmudullah claimed that he saw a burning desire from his players to win the match, and attested that it is the kind of attitude he expects from his men everytime they take to the field.

“We had a team talk during the halfway stage and said that we were 10 runs short, so we have to field well and put more effort. That's what you need while defending low totals and have attacking mindset. They are a very good side and we need to tick the boxes we failed today in the coming games. The hunger needs to be there to win every game for Bangladesh. I am not over the top at the moment, it was a match, we won and it is gone now, looking forward to tomorrow's game,” Mahmudullah said.

The second T20I of the five-match series will be played today at the same venue.