Taskin Ahmed left stunned as Bangladesh suffer dramatic collapse against Sri Lanka

Bangladesh pacer Taskin Ahmed believed the bowlers had laid a solid foundation for victory after restricting Sri Lanka to 244 all out in the first ODI in Colombo. However, a dramatic batting collapse following a strong start left him shocked and disappointed.

Bangladesh appeared to be cruising towards the target, having reached 96 for the loss of just one wicket in 16 overs. But chaos unfolded when Najmul Hossain Shanto was run out while attempting a second run. From 100 for 1, the team slumped to 105 for 8 within five overs, before Jaker Ali's half-century helped them reach 167, resulting in a 77-run defeat.

In the process, Bangladesh set an unwanted record—losing seven wickets for just five runs—the fewest runs added between the fall of the second and eighth wickets in men's ODIs. They surpassed the previous record held by the USA against Nepal in 2020.

"We actually bowled quite well, though there was still room for improvement. That said, it was a decent effort," Taskin said during a post-match press conference on Wednesday. "Unfortunately, we had a fantastic start with the bat, but what followed… it was a tough loss. Losing seven wickets for five runs was unexpected. We gave it a go, but it just didn't happen. It really doesn't feel good."

"It just goes to show how uncertain cricket can be," he continued. "I wasn't expecting it at all. I was relaxing in the dressing room with a coffee, and suddenly, we'd lost five wickets. Hopefully, we'll bounce back in the next game and everyone will learn from this. But yes, it was painful."

Taskin, who made a strong return from injury with a four-wicket haul, said the team lost composure after Tanzid Tamim was dismissed for 62, becoming the fourth wicket to fall.

"Given the way we started, I genuinely thought we'd finish the match with five to seven overs to spare. But that collapse turned out to be a huge setback. As a player, it hurts. Batting and bowling are parts of the same team effort."

"After such a good start, perhaps we became a little too relaxed. Everything seemed to be going our way, and then came that run-out, and one of our set batters, Tamim, got out. That's when we started to panic. We didn't play our natural game, and under pressure, we fell apart," he explained.

Reflecting on the defeat, Taskin said the players would need time to recover mentally from the loss.

"I'm sure the fans expect us to perform well. I doubt any of us will sleep peacefully tonight after such a defeat—it really does hurt. We're sorry for letting everyone down. But we remain hopeful. We have to keep dreaming, keep working hard, and the rest is in God's hands."