Hridoy hits back at critics as Bangladesh opt for safety over speed

Towhid Hridoy has defended Bangladesh's approach during their chase against Hong Kong, suggesting that the goal was to play "smart cricket" and win first, instead of focusing on their net run-rate.

Bangladesh knocked off the 144-run target in their Asia Cup opener in 17.4 overs, but at the post-match press conference, Hridoy was repeatedly asked if the team could've finished the game earlier, to perhaps show a statement of intent.

"We wanted to ensure that the match doesn't slip away from us," Hridoy explained. "We tried to end the game early but I couldn't connect the ball that well. I think the result is more important than finishing one or two overs earlier. You (the media) would have had something to say had we lost today.

"We could have finished the game earlier but we stuck to the demands of the situation. Our mentality is to always win. I think we played smart cricket. We could have finished two or three overs earlier, but we could have lost one or two more wickets. We must prioritise partnerships. We tried to hit more boundaries, but it didn't happen."

Bangladesh batted at 8.28 runs per over to reach the target with 14 balls to spare. To go above Afghanistan's NRR of 4.70, they needed to reach the target in less than 12 overs. Bangladesh's captain Litton Das said in the presentation ceremony that the pitch didn't support consistent big hitting, and that the size of the Abu Dhabi ground also forced them to rotate the strike more.

"So, should we have gone to the ground to lose against Hong Kong? Our target was to win. Every team can have their day in T20s. Maybe we could have finished earlier had I struck a few more boundaries," Hridoy said.

"We want to beat Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, so run-rate isn't what we are worried about at this stage. We don't want to complicate matters so early in the tournament."