Sylhet, May 20 (IANS) Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto called for more Test matches against top nations such as Australia, England, and India after his side completed a historic 2-0 Test series sweep over Pakistan with a 78-run win in the second Test at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.
Bangladesh sealed their first-ever home Test series victory against Pakistan after spinner Taijul Islam claimed a match-winning 6-120 to bowl Pakistan out for 358 while defending a target of 437 on the final day.
Following the victory, Shanto said Bangladesh now wants to challenge themselves more regularly against the top Test-playing nations in both home and away conditions.
“We actually want to play Test matches. We want to play with every team. I think now we want to play more Tests with Australia, England, India, both home and away,” Shanto told reporters after the match.
“Because when we get the chance to play matches, when we get those new experiences, the team will slowly build. Otherwise, playing with the same team again and again, playing in the same conditions, it is difficult to actually build a team,” he added.
The Bangladesh skipper also expressed hope that the ICC would schedule more Tests for his side against stronger opponents.
“So hopefully, the ICC will give us more Test matches with all the teams. Now that we are getting the chance to play more matches, this is a positive aspect. But if we can play more and better matches with Australia, England, and India, of course, it will be better for our team,” he said.
Bangladesh were briefly put under pressure on the final day as Mohammad Rizwan and Sajid Khan added important runs in the morning session before the hosts fought back strongly.
Shanto admitted the tense final session tested his side emotionally but praised his players for staying calm under pressure.
“It’s difficult to explain the emotion in the last hour because, honestly, they were batting well and we were a little under pressure. But compared to the previous Test matches, controlling that emotion and not panicking has become a little better,” he said.
“But there is still a need for improvement. Overall, I feel very proud as a captain to see the work ethic of every player. Every player worked hard, and everyone contributed to this result,” he added.
Despite the historic series win, Shanto insisted Bangladesh are still developing as a Test side and have several areas to improve.
“What I always say is that we have to build our Test team slowly, there is still a lot of room for improvement. When we play consistently well at home and abroad, then I would say that our team is better than before,” he said.
–IANS
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