T20 World Cup
Shanto: We're just focused on winning matches, not run rate
|| CF DESK ||
Opener Najmul Hossain Shanto stated that Bangladesh is not concerned with their negative run rate and is instead focused on winning as many matches as possible in this T20 World Cup.
Bangladesh has won two of three matches, both by a narrow margin of 9 runs against the Netherlands and 3 runs against Zimbabwe, but they lost their game against South Africa by 104 runs, their largest-ever defeat in T20 cricket.
Even though they are now second in Group 2 behind India, their negative run rate may have an impact on the tournament at some point.
"No, we are not thinking about our run rate, honestly. We are looking to win matches," Shanto who scored 55 ball-71 in Bangladesh's 150-7, said.
"We are not thinking that net run rate will be part of this tournament, but just we are focused on winning matches."
This was Shanto's first half-century in the T20 International and having done that he repaid the faith of the team management who backed him despite his lack of runs.
Shanto said the innings was special as he was able to prolong the innings, unlike the other times when he failed to count the start.
"I think for me, it was my best innings because this is my first T20 international cricket, so very special," Shanto said.
"Our bowling department like Mustafizur, Taskin, Hasan, everyone bowled really well. The good thing is that everyone supports each other, so the improvement are now getting better, so we'll try to play some good cricket in the next match."