Bangladesh middle-order batter Towhid Hridoy has brushed aside criticism over his strike rate in the Asia Cup opener, insisting that securing victory was the team’s only priority.
Hridoy, who remained unbeaten on 35 off 36 balls, guided the Tigers to a comfortable seven-wicket win against Hong Kong at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Thursday. Bangladesh chased down 144 in 17.4 overs after restricting their opponents to 143/7.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Hridoy clarified that the team was never concerned about the pace of their chase.
“We are not worried about run rate,” he said. “Our focus was on making sure we won, especially with tougher matches ahead against Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. We didn’t want to complicate things at the start of the tournament.”
The 24-year-old came under scrutiny for his relatively slow innings, particularly after openers Parvez Hossain Emon and Tanzid Hasan Tamim fell with the score at just 47. But Hridoy defended his approach, saying the situation demanded a cautious hand.“Our mentality is always to win,” he explained. “Yes, we could have finished two or three overs earlier, but that carried the risk of losing more wickets. I wasn’t connecting well, but I believe we played smart cricket to ensure the result.”
Despite the win, questions remain about Bangladesh’s intent when chasing against a side like Hong Kong. Hridoy, however, maintained that composure and control were the keys to their success.
Bangladesh will next face Sri Lanka on 13 September before meeting Afghanistan on 16 September. To qualify for the Super Fours, the Tigers must finish in the top two of their group.
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