Spinners bowling no-ball is crime: Shakib

Bangladesh T20 skipper Shakib Al Hasan said that they lost against Sri Lanka because they were unable to take the pressure and paid the price in their must-win Asia Cup 2022 game in Dubai.

The Tigers posted a huge total of 183 runs. However, eight wides and four no-balls were proven to be so much costly in the end. The Lankan top scorer Kusal Mendis (60) and the Player of the Match was dropped on two and got another life in the seventh over when Mahedi Hasan Miraz bowled a no-ball. In the last over, Sri Lanka needed eight runs and in that situation, the off-spinner overstepped again.

"No captain wants a no ball and a spinner bowling a no ball is a crime. We bowled lot of no balls and wide balls and that is not disciplined bowling. These are pressure games and we need to learn a lot from here and move forward," Shakib told reporters on Thursday, according to Cricbuzz.

"The turning point could be when our batsmen got out (at crucial moments) and spinners bowling a no ball is a crime. It proved how we can break (down) in a pressure situation. We need to improve on that skill-wise but we break whenever there is pressure and lose the game. We need to improve a lot in the death overs," he added.

Shakib, however, praised Ebadot Hossain for running through the Sri Lankan batting unit and picking up three wickets. Unfortunately, during his later spells, Ebadot couldn't mix up his hard lengths with variations and finished with expensive figures of 3 for 51. On his part, Shakib said that the high-pressure game was a good learning experience for the pace bowler.

"Ebadot did not play such pressure games before. He played Tests, probably played one or two ODIs but this kind of a pressure game is first for him. He needs to learn a lot. His first two overs kept us in the game and I felt he would be the best bowler of the match. We hoped that he would be in good rhythm and positive, but unfortunately it did not happen. But he can learn a lot from here."

Shakib also observed that Bangladesh needed a group of 4-5 pacemen when they tour Australia to partake in the T20 World Cup, as on those wickets they have to depend on pace bowlers.

"On this kind of a wicket, 12 overs need to be bowled by pace bowlers and in most cases you would be expect that. Who can deliver will stay and who are unable won't be there.

"We have seen four bowlers in two matches and we hope that we would find four or five such pacers who can bowl 12 to 14 for us, because in Australia we need to depend on the pacers."