It could have been different if we had scored 340/350: Shanto

Bangladesh stand-in-captain Najmul Hossain believes that their two run out dismissals changed the momentum of the game against Australia.

According to him, things would have been different if they could avoid those two run outs as they were on course of a total no less than 350, reports BSS.

One run out is Shanto's himself as he was well set with 45 and the other one is another set batter Mahmudullah Riyad who was dismissed on 32.
"I think for me the two run outs were crucial. The way we started was good but after the two run outs, we lost momentum. If we scored 340-350, it could have been different," Shanto who led the side in absence of injured Shakib Al Hasan said after the match.

Bangladesh still posted 306-8, their highest total in this World Cup, thanks to Towhid Hridoy's (74) maiden World Cup half-century. Australia overhauled the target effortlessly with 32 balls to spare with Mitchell Marsh hammering a brutal 132 ball-177 not out with 17 fours and nine sixes.

While the 340/350 could have applied more scoreboard pressure, Shanto also lamented for the middle over bowling. Bangladesh in fact lacked a middle over specialist bowler after fast bowler Ebadot Hossain was ruled out of the World Cup with injury. No bowlers could have filled his place.

They put their belief on the spinners to give them some stability in middle overs but they failed miserably.

"We did not bowl well in the middle overs (the spinners especially). The fast bowlers bowled well. We need to improve in the middle overs," Shanto lamented.

Bangladesh, however, ended their mission with two wins and seven defeats, collecting four points from nine matches. From 2007-2019 they won three matches in every World Cup and so stat-wise it became their worst World Cup mission since 2007.

Shanto admitted that they didn't play as a team in this edition.

"We did not play our best at the World Cup as a team, in both bowing and batting. Want to look at what we can do better moving forward. Mahmudullah batted really well in the World Cup. Shakib bowled really well in a couple of matches. It is not about individual performances. We will look back at all nine matches and see where we have to improve as a team," he remarked.

Australia captain Pat Cummins said, the big chase with relative ease gavethem a confidence ahead of the semifinal game against South African.

"It was great. Great win leading to the semis, chasing a good total. We were not at our sharpest in the first innings. It was a really good wicket. We brought it back to a total that we could chase, not too upset with it," Cummins said.

He heaped praise of Mitchell Marsh who led the run-chase with massive century.

"It was Outstanding. I thought it was impressive the way he finished off the innings. The tempo that he played at was sustainable and he is a scary prospect to have in the next week. Seven games in a row, even when we were not at our best in some of those games, we came away with a win. Chasing 300-plus was something we did not do earlier. Feels like everything is clicking together."

EM