Shakib gives excuses after Bangladesh lose T20I series to USA

Shakib Al Hasan, the veteran Bangladesh all-rounder, expressed dissatisfaction with the facilities at the Prairie View Cricket Complex in Houston, Bangladesh’s T20I series loss to the USA, who registered their first series win over a full-member team.

Speaking after the match, the all-rounder said that rain and limited practice time hindered their preparation.

"If we take this as a preparation series for the World Cup, in that case we should have a lot more batting and bowling sessions and there should have been more facilities that we didn't get at all. I feel we had a proper net session for one day and even on that day the batsmen could not had required the batting session. And there was an optional day and the batsmen did not seize the opportunity," said Shakib.

"For one day there was rain and we could not do anything on that day, while there are four grounds but we could train on only three pitches which I don't think is ideal. And I think these things could have been better," he added.

Expressing his disappointment with the series outcome, Shakib acknowledged the USA team's performance.

"Certainly it is disappointing and we didn't expect it but we must give credit to the US team for the way they have played," Shakib said.

"I think no one expected that we will lose two games. Any match you lose as a team is disappointing and you don't want to lose a game and obviously it is very disappointing. But having said that we have to play the World Cup and this series might be a wake-up call for us as we haven't played the way we want to play,” he added.

Emphasizing the team effort required in T20 cricket, Shakib stated, "It's a team game and everyone has to take the responsibility - you win as a team and you lose as a team. I don't want to blame any particular person or any particular department. It's just that T20 is such a format you have to play very good cricket in all three departments to win against any team. There are no small or big teams in T20 cricket and that's why it is more exciting than any other format. And the proof of that is in the last two games the way US played."