Litton Das Blames Hectic T20I Schedule For WI Loss

Bangladesh skipper Litton Das called for patience and positivity after West Indies completed a 3-0 clean sweep in the T20I series in Chattogram.

Bangladesh T20I captain Litton Kumar Das has urged fans and players not to panic after his team suffered a 3-0 series whitewash against the West Indies.

The hosts were beaten by five wickets in the final T20I in Chattogram on Friday, October 31, marking their first clean sweep since losing 3-0 to Pakistan in May. The result also ended Bangladesh’s run of four consecutive bilateral series victories.

“I had also said before the series that I want a tough time from here. I think they have given us a tough time from everywhere. They have bowled very well. The batting was also not that good. But obviously, you don’t want the bad series all the time,” Litton Das told reporters after the match.

“There is only one option to come back from this: to keep his spirits high, not to worry too much, because if you worry, the negative thoughts will come more, the positives won’t. The thing I wanted was to overcome the pressure. We couldn’t do that. We were under pressure in all three games, but we couldn’t overcome it. This is a point of concern, how we will overcome it,” Das said.

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Fatigue Is The Reason For Loss: Litton

The Bangladesh skipper also pointed out that his players have been playing continuous cricket and fatigue may have affected their performance. He expressed confidence that the team would bounce back stronger after a short break before their next assignment.

“Many times, you try hard to deliver, but things don’t go your way. So, I think this series might be one such instance. They have been playing cricket for a long time. I hope that after getting a break, the players will restart and give us something good.

“I hope, as I said, that sometimes cricketers play continuously, and fatigue sets in. Sometimes, players need rest because when you play continuously, many things will not go your way. When the players get a break, like now that the T20 series is over, they will get at least 10 days of break to restart themselves. Then there is the Ireland series, and before that, there will be practice. I think all the players will recover well and will be able to come back well,” he said.

Litton acknowledged that batting remains a major concern for the team but insisted he is not in favour of making drastic changes.

“The players who played in this team are all proven. Sometimes, a series or two can go wrong. A player’s four or five matches can be bad, but that doesn’t make him a bad player. He himself knows where he needs to improve. I think he will focus on that area, talk to the batting coach, and try to come back from there,” said Litton.

“If you change players every day, the result will remain the same. The new player, if he doesn’t give a very good comeback, the same situation will remain. So, those who are playing cricket for a long time, if we stick with them, there’s a better chance for a good result,” he added.

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Meanwhile, wicketkeeper-batter Nurul Hasan was taken to hospital after suffering an ankle injury during the final T20I, while pacer Shoriful Islam, who bowled two overs for 12 runs, will be monitored after experiencing hamstring discomfort.