Bangladesh Bounce Back to Level Test Series Against Zimbabwe, But Skipper Shanto Not Satisfied

After losing the first Test, Bangladesh made a strong comeback to win the second Test and level the series 1-1 against Zimbabwe. However, captain Najmul Hossain Shanto expressed disappointment, believing that Bangladesh should have won both matches.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Shanto said,
"No, I’m not really satisfied. If you consider both matches, we should have played better cricket overall. We should have won the series. We didn’t play well in the first Test, but we managed to bounce back in the second."

Despite the missed opportunity, Shanto acknowledged several positives from the series. He highlighted Taijul Islam’s return to form, the promising opening partnership between Shadman Islam and Anamul Haque Bijoy, and Tanzim Sakib’s performance with the bat.

"I think Taijul bhai made a great comeback with the ball after the first Test. Shadman scored a good hundred, and though Bijoy didn’t get a big score, he batted well after returning to the side. I liked the consistency they showed as an opening pair. We need to build on that. Tanzim Sakib’s batting today was very impressive as well. In the past, we’ve seen Taijul bhai face a lot of deliveries down the order, but Sakib’s innings in the first match was outstanding."

One of the consistent performers for Bangladesh in the lower order, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, scored a century in the series — reigniting the recurring question of whether he should be promoted higher up the batting order.

When asked about this once again, Shanto responded with a smile:
"You have to define how far up you mean by 'higher.' If you mean positions 4 or 5, that’s a big shift. His bowling is extremely important to the team, and he knows that. Moving to number 4 or 5 in Tests is a big challenge — it requires more preparation, mental focus, and patience. Right now, he’s batting at 6 or 7, and he’s doing a great job there, often guiding the team to strong positions. Players like Zakir, Mushfiq bhai, and Liton occupy the upper middle order and they’re fulfilling their roles well. Miraz is excelling in his current role, and if he continues this way, it will only strengthen our team."