Bangladesh focus on batting improvement with reliance on spin

• Miraz Calls For Batters To Stand Up
• Bangladesh Rely On Spin

Bangladesh put in an excellent bowling performance to defend 248 by 16 runs in the second ODI in Colombo. However, Bangladesh were bowled out in the 46th over, with 25 balls to spare. 

Miraz Calls For Batters To Stand Up

Despite terrific fighting fifties from Parvez Hossain Emon and Towhid Hridoy, Bangladesh didn’t get close to batting out their overs in the second ODI. 

"We can now focus on which areas to improve, before the third match," Mehidy said. "We haven't been able to bat fifty overs in the first two ODIs. There were couple of run-outs, which definitely shifted the momentum from us. We also lost a cluster of wickets in the last few ten overs. I hope everyone is looking for improvement.

"I also want to give credit to Tanzim's batting towards the end. The way he attacked Hasaranga, those were important runs that made the difference for us. 220 and 250 are two different scenarios."

Bangladesh Rely On Spin

As has been the case for a while, Bangladesh’s spinners came to the fore to help defend a score of 248 after Sri Lanka started strong at 75 for 1. 

Tanvir Islam was excellent with figures of 5 for 39 with two maidens in his 10 overs after he was taken for 22 runs in his first two overs. 

"When I conceded 22 runs in the first two overs, the captain stood next to me and said something," Tanvir said. "He said that a bowler is bound to get hit. He told me I don't have to bowl defensively. I have to do wicket-taking bowling. Thankfully, I listened to my captain. He kept telling us that we can defend the total.

"I was working on my bowling action during the T20I series against Pakistan. I got a lot of negative feedback for it. I was bowling with the same action since 2013. I was speaking to Towhid Hridoy who told me to return to my old action. He said that the old action made me who I am. That's why I returned to my old action," he said.