'No one will sleep peacefully tonight': Taskin reacts to shocking batting collapse

Bangladesh pacer Taskin Ahmed admitted he was stunned by the batting collapse that saw his side slump to a 77-run defeat against Sri Lanka in the first ODI at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Wednesday.

Bangladesh were cruising towards the target, having reached 96 for the loss of just one wicket in 16 overs. But disaster struck when Najmul Hossain Shanto ran himself out while attempting a risky second run, triggering a dramatic collapse. 

From 100 for 1, Bangladesh crumbled to 105 for 8 within five overs. A fighting fifty from Jaker Ali offered some resistance, but it only delayed the inevitable as the visitors were bowled out for 167, falling to a 77-run defeat.

The meltdown set an unwanted world record -- Bangladesh added the fewest runs (just five) between the fall of the second and eighth wickets in men's ODI history, eclipsing the previous mark held by USA against Nepal in 2020.

"Actually, we bowled pretty well, but still, it could have been better. But it's okay. Unfortunately, we had a great start, but after that… tough loss for us. Seven wickets in five runs—it was unexpected. We tried, but it didn't happen. Yeah, it wasn't a great feeling," Taskin said at the post-match press conference.

The 29-year-old, who impressed on his return from injury with a four-wicket haul, shared how he was caught off guard during the chaotic middle-order collapse.

"It reminds me that in cricket, there is uncertainty. I wasn't expecting that. I was chilling in the dressing room with a coffee, and suddenly, five wickets down. Hopefully, we will come back stronger in the next game and everyone will learn from the mistakes. But it wasn't a great feeling," he said.

Taskin believed that the dismissal of opener Tanzid Tamim, who made 62, was the final blow to the team's confidence.

"The way we started today, I was expecting we would win with 5-7 overs in hand, but unfortunately, that collapse was a big loss. It hurts because I am also a player. Bowling and batting combined, we are a team.

"Yeah, after that great start, we were a bit relaxed. Everything was going our way, and suddenly, that run-out and one of our set batters, Tamim, got out. Then we panicked a bit. We didn't play our natural game, and under pressure, we collapsed," he explained.

He added that after the disastrous middle-order collapse, the Tigers would need time to recover from the disappointment.

"I'm sure the fans want us to do well. I'm sure no player will sleep peacefully tonight after a loss like this. It will hurt. We are sorry that we lost this match. We hope we will do well. We have to keep dreaming and keep working hard. The rest is up to the Almighty," he concluded.