Dhaka: Bangladesh fast bowler Taskin Ahmed dubbed the sensational collapse in the first ODI against Sri Lanka in Colombo as unexpected, saying that it's a 'tough pill for them to swallow.'
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the visiting side experienced their worst collapse, losing seven wickets for five runs while they were in a position of dominance, chasing a modest target of 245 at R Premadasa Stadium. The meltdown saw them slip to 105-8 from 100-1, marking the worst such collapse in men's ODI history.
Taskin, who made a strong comeback after recovering from an injury with figures of 4-47, set the platform for a victory on an otherwise benign surface. He recounted being in the dressing room when the collapse occurred. "I was chilling in the dressing room with a coffee, and suddenly, five wickets down," he said in the post-match conference. He expressed the unexpected nature of the loss, saying, "Seven wickets in five runs - it was unexpected."
He elaborated that the turning point came with Wanindu Hasaranga's over, when Najmul Hossain Shanto got run out, followed by Tanzid Hasan Tamim's dismissal. Taskin had anticipated a victory after Bangladesh's promising start. "The way we started today, I was expecting we would win with 5-6 overs in hand, but unfortunately, that collapse was a big loss."
Despite being reduced to 105-8, Bangladesh were eventually bowled out for 167, with Jaker Ali Anik making 51 and sharing 62 runs in the ninth and 10th wicket combined. Taskin pointed out Jaker's batting as evidence that the wicket had no demons. "Jaker batted really well at the end. With him, if we had two or three batters left, we could have won the match."
Taskin remains hopeful for the second ODI on Saturday at the same venue, viewing it as a 'do or die' game for the team to stay alive in the series. He expects a strong comeback, hoping that everyone will learn from the mistakes of the first ODI. "Hopefully, we will come back stronger in the next game," he concluded.