Zimbabwe opener Sikandar Raza is counting on the bowlers to restrict Bangladesh after the visitors were bowled out for a sub-par 240 in the opening day of the first Test at Mirpur yesterday.
The Zimbabwean batsmen were cleaned up by the Bangladesh bowlers within two and a half sessions and Raza is now hoping for the bowlers to make up for the batsmen’s mistakes.
“We cannot change what we have on the board,” said Raza in the post-day conference at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday.
“What we can change is how we bowl. Our bowling department has been doing really well recently and we will back ourselves and our bowling department and the fielding department to fire quickly. Hopefully we can wrap it up before they (Bangladesh) can get to our total,” the 28-year old explained.
Raza was the standout performer for his team making a responsible 51 off 122 balls with the help of half a dozen boundaries as no other batsmen were able to cross the 40-run mark. This was his second fifty in as many Test matches. The Pakistan-born cricketer was involved in four partnerships and the 52 runs that he added alongside captain Brendan Taylor for the third wicket was the highest stand for the visiting side.
At 31/2, Taylor’s decision to bat first appeared a wrong one but Raza and the Zimbabwean skipper went some way in resurrecting the ship. Taylor though soon departed for 28 just after lunch with the scoreboard reading 83/3.
Raza then joined hands with Elton Chigumbura as the fourth wicket pair put on 45 runs before the opener became debutant Jubair Hossain’s second victim.
Raza expressed his disappointment with his dismissal after being well-set at the crease.
“The most disappointing part for me was to get out at that time,” said the right-handed batsman.
“We were stringing a few more partnerships together. But our best batters got out. I and Elty (Elton) had a forty-odd run partnership. But I think the most disappointing was for me to get out at that time. But it’s one of those things you take on board and learn,” he added.
