Shakib admits ‘panicking’ Bangladesh blew run chase

Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan on Wednesday said his team’s “lack of experience” in handling close matches made them come up short in a rain-hit thriller against India at the Twenty20 World Cup.Bangladesh were cruising at 66-0 in seven overs in response to India’s 184-6 when rain stopped play in Adelaide and the Tigers got a revised target of 151 in 16 overs. Liton Das hit a 27-ball 60 but his run out after the 50-minute interruption triggered a Bangladesh collapse and they ended on 145-6 to leave them all but out of the semi-final hunt.“In the dressing room we were relaxed. We knew what’s coming our way,” Shakib told reporters after his team’s five-run loss via DLS method.“When we got the target that we had to score 85 runs in nine overs, we’ll take that with 10 wickets in hand. You take that challenge and look to chase that down.“Unfortunately we couldn’t do it. It was a combination of both lack of experience and panicking. “We don’t play too many close games, so sometimes when we are in that situation, we don’t know how to do it.”The match brought back memories of the 2010 T20 World Cup clash between the two sides when India edged out Bangladesh by one run after restricting them to 145-9 in their chase of 147.Yesterday’s result could have been different had Das, who scored 59 off 26 balls before rain came in, stayed longer after the break.Das slipped when attempting a second run and was shy of his ground at the non-striker’s end as KL Rahul’s throw from the deep clattered into the stumps.After that Bangladesh slumped from 99-2 to 108-6 and despite a late flurry from Nurul Hasan (25 off 14 balls) and Taskin Ahmed (12 off 7) they came up short.Shakib said the ground was slippery when the teams came back on after the rain but offered no excuses for the collapse. “We wanted to play cricket, both teams wanted to play 20 overs, unfortunately rain interrupted. Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 64 stood out in India’s 184-6 after being invited to bat first as he became the highest run-scorer in T20 World Cup history.“The way Virat Kohli is playing, every team will plan something,” said Shakib. “He can win matches single-handedly.”Kohli, meanwhile, said he “absolutely loves playing” at the Adelaide Oval yesterday after his third unbeaten fifty. “As soon as I knew the World Cup was in Australia, I was grinning from ear to ear,” said Kohli who followed his incredible match-winning 82 not out against Pakistan in the opening match in Melbourne with another unbeaten fifty against the Netherlands in Sydney.“I knew good cricketing shots would be the key,” said Kohli as he continued his love affair with the famous Adelaide ground where he scored his maiden Test century back in 2012. The Indian maestro’s statistics at Adelaide since are astonishing. When he captained India for the first time in Tests there in 2014, he celebrated by making centuries in both innings.“I absolutely love playing in this ground,” said Kohli. “Right from the nets at the back, as soon as I enter, it makes me feel at home.” In Kohli’s only previous T20 international at the venue he scored an unbeaten 90 against Australia in 2016. In 50-over games at Adelaide, Kohli made 107 against Pakistan in the 2015 World Cup and 104 against Australia in 2019.  “I said that knock at MCG (against Pakistan) was meant to be,” said Kohli. “But when I come here, it’s like I’m meant to come to Adelaide and enjoy my batting.”