Spinner bowling a no-ball is a crime: Shakib Al Hasan

Dubai: The Bangladesh captain addressed mistakes his team made which cost them the must-win Asia Cup clash against Sri Lanka on Thursday.

Bangladesh failed to qualify for the Super Four phase of the Asia Cup after Sri Lanka sealed a last-over thriller, winning the contest by two wickets by recording the highest successful run chase in the UAE.

Captain Shakib Al Hasan expressed disappointment over Bangladesh's inability to perform under pressure as they gave away extra runs and extra chances to Sri Lanka – eight wides and four no-balls.

Sri Lanka's highest run-getter of the match Kusal Mendis, who smashed a fiery 37-ball 60, was given multiple lifelines, first, when he was dropped by wicket-keeper Mushfiqur Rahim when he was on two off Taskin Ahmed, and again when Mahedi Hasan had induced a faint outside edge in the seventh over, but the spinner had overstepped.

"No captain wants a no-ball and a spinner bowling a no-ball is a crime," said Shakib after the match.

"We bowled lot of no-balls and wide balls and that is not disciplined bowling. These are pressure games and we need to learn a lot from here and move forward," he added.

Shakib pointed out the areas Bangladesh need to improve, especially performance in the death overs.

"The turning point could be when our batsmen got out (at crucial moments) and spinners bowling a no-ball is a crime. It proved how we can break (down) in a pressure situation.

"We need to improve on that skill-wise but we break whenever there is pressure and lose the game. We need to improve a lot in the death overs," he admitted.

The Bangladesh captain said that in the upcoming ICC Men's T20 World Cup in Australia, their strategy would be to lead with a pace-heavy attack.

"On this kind of a wicket, 12 overs need to be bowled by pace bowlers and in most cases, you would expect that. Who can deliver will stay and (those) who are unable won't be there," he said.

"We have seen four bowlers in two matches and we hope that we would find four or five such pacers who can bowl 12 to 14 for us, because in Australia we need to depend on the pacers." (UNI)