Mosaddek Hossain

Mosaddek Hossain: Bangladesh fans made the Oval feel like Mirpur

Mosaddek Hossain
  • Bangladesh pushed New Zealand all the way but were eventually beaten by two wickets
  • Bangladesh have already beaten South Africa and face hoasts England next in Cardiff

Bangladesh spinner Mosaddek Hossain paid tribute to the fanatical support his side received all the way through their nail-biting two-wicket defeat by New Zealand at the Oval.

The Black Caps’ match-winner Ross Taylor – who was one of Mosaddek’s two wickets in the match – had earlier said that it felt like the game was being played in Bangladesh such was the cacophony of noise that greeted every run or wicket for Bangladesh.

Mosaddek, 23, agreed, saying with a smile: “It was amazing. When we came out after the toss it didn’t feel like we were playing at the Oval – it felt like we were in Mirpur which was a good thing for us.

“It wasn’t a surprise because we had played here in the Champions Trophy in 2017 so we knew what to expect but it was still amazing.”

Bangladesh, who won their opening match against South Africa last weekend, came agonisingly close to another major scalp at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 but Mossadek said his side were remaining upbeat.

He said: “Most of the guys in the changing room are a bit disappointed, of course, but that’s ok for me.

“But we’re getting better and better. We’re bowling really well so hopefully in the next match we will do better.”

That next match at Cardiff Wales Stadium on Saturday is against England, who they knocked out of the last ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in Adelaide in 2015.

Mosaddek, who also took the catch to dismiss New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson, admitted that his side’s batting performance has cost them the game.

Bangladesh struggled to 244 all out and Mosaddek said: “If we had got ten or 20 more runs then it could have been a different result.

“We played really well against South Africa but that was a really good wicket and this one was not the same.”