"It Was My Fault": Shanto Takes Blame For Bangladesh's Test Loss To Zimbabwe

Jatin

Najmul Shanto [Source: @Ramz_004/x.com]Najmul Shanto [Source: @Ramz_004/x.com]

When a captain speaks from the heart, it hits different and Najmul Hossain Shanto didn’t mince words. After Bangladesh’s shock loss to Zimbabwe in the first Test in Sylhet, the skipper stepped up and owned the blame.

Najmul Shanto Owns Up After Bangladesh’s Shock Defeat To Zimbabwe

In a game where the Tigers had their moments but failed to capitalise, Najmul Shanto admitted that his early second-innings dismissal turned the game and the collapse that followed was one they couldn’t recover from.

“It was my fault that we lost the match,” said Shanto.

Bangladesh were still very much in the game early on Day 4. Shanto and Jaker Ali were holding fort but on just the second ball of the morning, Shanto tried to pull a short ball from Blessing Muzarabani and ended up lobbing a soft catch to deep fine leg. And just like that, the air was sucked out of the Bangladesh innings.

“My wicket early in the morning ruined the whole match for us. If we had added 50 or 60 more runs at that time, we would be in a better position,” said Shanto, holding nothing back.

He added that he always looks for scoring opportunities but maybe this time he jumped the gun.

“I always think about taking scoring opportunities. Maybe I could have taken more time.”

And yet, in true batter’s fashion, he defended the shot, just not the timing.

“I will play that shot again, maybe the timing wasn’t right [this time].”

Muzarabani Was On The Money

While Shanto took the heat, he also pointed out that Zimbabwe’s bowling, especially from Blessing Muzarabani, was top-notch. The tall pacer finished with career-best match figures of 9 for 122, and his short-ball barrage rattled the middle order.

“He bowled well, and there is some added advantage due to his height. But still, the batting unit should have taken a bit more responsibility.”

Shanto felt the team didn’t plan well enough for Muzarabani, even though they were aware he was Zimbabwe’s key weapon.

“It was necessary to handle his spells better. I think we did it for some time, but that was not enough.”

Poor Shot Selection, Poor Application

Bangladesh’s top order once again showed a lack of application, especially when the going got tough. After Shanto’s dismissal, Mehidy Hasan Miraz also fell to the short ball, becoming one of three wickets to fall in a calamitous first half-hour on Day 4. From 194/5, the Tigers fell apart, and Zimbabwe pounced on the opening.

With Zimbabwe now 1-0 up in the series, the final Test starts April 28 in Chattogram. For Shanto and Bangladesh, it is not just about levelling the series, it is also about showing they have learned from their mistakes. Because as Shanto just showed, owning up is step one. The real redemption happens on the field.