Najmul Hossain Shanto, the captain of Bangladesh, is eager to face New Zealand in the second Test after his team defeated the Blackcaps by an unprecedented 150 runs at home in the opening game of the series on Saturday.
Taijul Islam’s ten wicket haul on Saturday, which included six in the second innings, helped Bangladesh create history as they defeated New Zealand by 150 runs in their first-ever home Test match in Sylhet.
For the first time, Bangladesh defeated New Zealand at home in the opening match of the two-match Test series. At the end of the first Test, Taijul Islam recorded a career-high 11/170.
The two teams were only seven runs apart at the end of the first inning as the game ebbed and flowed. But Taijul Islam’s six wicket haul and a determined century from recently appointed captain Najmul Hossain Shanto allowed the hosts to easily defeat the visitors.
After the game, Shanto, who had taken the lead early on in his Test captaincy debut with a century in the second innings, stated that they adhered to the procedure and were not worried about the result.
“All of the players deserve credit. Taijul, Miraz, Shoriful, and Nayeem were all excellent bowlers. This match was enjoyable to all. We’re only focused on the process; the outcome is not on our minds. We could have scored 50–80 more runs in the first innings, in my opinion,” Shanto stated during a post-game press conference.
After the Test series, Shanto will lead the team into a white-ball series in New Zealand as captain. But for now, he is concentrating on the second Test match and is not thinking about that series.
“I’m already considering the upcoming test. It’s half done for me. There’s still a long way to go, Shanto continued.
By doing this, the Tigers secure vital World Test Championship (WTC) points and take a 1-0 lead in the two-game series. On Wednesday in Mirpur, the two teams will begin their second Test match.
In his debut Test as captain, Shanto could not have asked for a better result. In 18 Test matches against the Kiwis, this was their second victory. They had defeated the Kiwis in Mount Maunganui in 2022, their most recent victory.
