Nurul stresses mindset over skill after Bangladesh batting collapse

Bangla Press Desk:   Bangladesh wicketkeeper-batsman Nurul Hasan believes his side must address their mental approach rather than their technical abilities to overcome repeated batting collapses in crunch moments.

Bangladesh started their three-match T20I series against Afghanistan with a four-wicket win in Sharjah on Thursday, but the victory did not come without its familiar anxieties. Chasing 152, the tourists appeared to be cruising after openers Tanzid Hasan Tamim and Parvez Hossain Emon struck commanding half-centuries to take the score past 100 inside 11 overs.

However, what seemed a straightforward chase quickly unravelled. Bangladesh slumped from 109 without loss to 118 for six in the space of just 25 deliveries, losing six wickets for nine runs against Afghanistan’s spin duo of Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad. It required a composed partnership between Nurul and Rishad Hossain to finally steer them home.

Reflecting on the collapse, Nurul suggested that the issue was not one of ability but of mentality.

“We have been playing cricket for a while but during crucial stages sometimes we fail because of our mindset,” he told reporters after the game. “The wicket was the same and Emon and Tanzid gave us a good start. Maybe doubts began to appear within us a little bit as they [Rashid and Noor Ahmad] are both world-class spinners. But I think that rather than skill, we have a chance to improve mentally in this area.”

Bangladesh had earlier restricted Afghanistan to 151 for nine, with the bowlers keeping the hosts in check despite contributions from Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran. But the batting collapse highlighted a recurring weakness in the side’s approach to pressure situations.

Nurul acknowledged that Afghanistan’s quality spin attack required special preparation, but insisted that mental resilience was just as important.

“Obviously, look, Afghanistan has world-class spin bowlers, so it's very important how we do our homework against them,” he said. “I feel that we will definitely focus on improving in the areas where we have failed, especially since we have a match again tomorrow. Because I feel this problem is not new for us; we have been struggling with it for a long time. So, the time has really come to improve in this area.”

He admitted that Bangladesh’s collapses have become a persistent talking point in the dressing room.

“The way we collapsed, we lost many wickets in a very short amount of time. So I feel this will obviously be discussed in our team meeting… this was discussed after the Asia Cup as well. So obviously, there is a lot of room for improvement here,” he added.

Nurul emphasised the importance of the top order in T20 cricket but underlined that victories ultimately depend on collective effort.

“In T20, your top four batsmen, the top order, are very important. But cricket is ultimately a team game. The day you do well in bowling, batting, and fielding—in everything—that is the day you will have a better chance of winning the match.”

BP/TD