The boys played like heroes, says BCB president

Despite the Tigers' defeat to India in the final of the Nidahas Trophy tournament, the team managed to put up a brave fight in most of the matches and BCB president Nazmul Hassan says that the players played like heroes.

Before the tournament began, Tigers were facing a dull situation having lost the Tri-nation, Test and T20 series to Sri Lanka at home. Despite showing promise early on in a tournament which also involved Zimbabwe, Tigers faltered when it mattered. There was little hope that things would improve. The mood perhaps grew darker once they lost the first T20 to India by six wickets.

The Tigers bounced back in their next three matches as they trumped Sri Lanka twice to make it to the Tri-series final. The final against India was no dull affair and Tigers fought with ambition despite losing the toss -- a factor that played a decisive role in this tournament.

"I spent the most time with the team during this series. From the first to the last. In this series when he left the country the experience was something else. When we went there, the experience was different. Now that we have came back, the experience is different now," Nazmul said regarding Tigers' collective spirit during the tournament.

The president regretted the fact that Tigers had lost such a close game.

"We lost after getting so close, I think all Bangladeshis are feeling the same. Certainly from a position where we could win, it is hard to accept that we lost. Is it pain or regret…There are events which can't be written off easily. It is something which would be remembered forever.

"Our boys suffered a lot more than us and were more disappointed. They broke down a lot but I told them that winning or losing isn't the most important. One team will win and another will lose. What I want is good cricket. They played every game well and like heroes," Hassan concluded.