Smile of Relief in the Final Session, Confident Hasan Mahmud

Bangladesh ended the first day of the Sylhet Test on a positive note. In the final session, the hosts made a strong comeback by taking four Irish wickets. On such a day, pacer Hasan Mahmud believes that the team played according to plan, even on a batting-friendly pitch. He is confident that the spinners could turn the course of the match.

Speaking at the post-day press conference, Hasan said,

“The wicket is very good for batting. We bowled in a disciplined manner. Our economy rate is around three. We have ended the day very well.”

Bangladesh’s spinners were the talk of the day on the first day of the match. Out of Ireland’s eight wickets, six fell to the spinners. In the final session, Mehedi Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam claimed two crucial wickets. Hasan’s prediction about the pitch’s behavior over time also looked promising. He said,

“As the game progresses, the wicket will turn more for the spinners. If the bowlers stay consistent, the spinners will take over by the end of the day.”

However, there were a few lapses in the field. Bangladesh conceded extra runs after missing three catches in the match. Hasan’s reaction to this was,

“It’s part of the game. Catches will be missed, but we look at it positively as opportunities. Next time, the fielders will be more prepared. Of course, it doesn’t feel good, but everyone is trying.”

The young pacer also highlighted the team’s regular efforts to improve fielding. In his words,

“We do fielding sessions on the ground every day. We try to improve continuously. A few misses happened today, but they will decrease in the upcoming matches.”

Finally, on the team’s current position, Hasan expressed optimism,

“We are in a very good position now. If we can take early wickets tomorrow, everything will come under control. 300 runs on this batting wicket is not too much. We will try to restrict them to a low total.”

By the end of the day, the home side exuded confidence. Even on a batting-friendly pitch, Bangladesh’s disciplined bowling in the final session created the possibility of taking control of the match—a “very good start” in Hasan’s eyes.