Litton Das: Mahedi Hasan Was Always Key to Colombo Victory Due to Pitch Conditions

Bangladesh's T20I captain, Litton Kumar Das, disclosed his strategic decision to consistently support Shak Mahedi for matches in Colombo. He emphasized that his player selection is primarily guided by the pitch conditions, a factor he prioritizes above all else.

Mahedi's match-winning performance in Colombo © Getty

The choice to replace Mehidy Hasan Miraz with Mahedi Hasan proved fruitful as Mahedi's remarkable performance of 4 wickets for 11 runs played a crucial role in Bangladesh's eight-wicket triumph over Sri Lanka. This victory secured Bangladesh's first-ever series win across all formats against Sri Lanka on their home soil.

"We believed that Mahedi's skills were perfectly suited for the Colombo wicket. This isn't to say he can't perform well on other pitches. I had already decided, even before seeing the schedule, that Mahedi would be the first name on the team sheet for Colombo," Litton stated to reporters following their historic win.

He further clarified, "This doesn't mean Mehidy is a poor bowler or batter. As captain, I carefully consider the pitch conditions before selecting the team. A surface that favors bowling will always lead me to choose Mahedi."

Litton added that Miraz would be considered for selection when the pitch conditions are more favorable to batting.

Following their losses in the Test and ODI series, and a disappointing defeat in the opening T20I, Bangladesh made a strong comeback in the second match. Litton believes that this win significantly boosted the team's morale and confidence.

"We consistently strive to give our best on the field. Our training is designed to enable us to perform at our peak during matches," Litton said.

"I believe that winning transforms the team's outlook. Our 83-run victory in the second game was a significant achievement. The entire team felt confident that we could win if we played our best cricket," he added.

Litton, who had been facing a batting slump, made valuable contributions in the second and third T20Is. He maintained that he always believed in his ability to regain his form.

"I never lost faith in myself. Throughout my ten years at this level, I've always had strong self-belief. I think hunger was a major factor. I hadn't been scoring runs for a while, and I was eager to seize any opportunity. The second T20I was a turning point."

"I always put in maximum effort. I don't skip training sessions or stay in my hotel room. As a player, you have to keep striving. You also need blessings from God. I believe luck was on my side in the second T20I. But I consistently work hard, both on and off the field."

"I primarily worked independently. Some people offered assistance, which can be motivating," he said.

Having guided Bangladesh to consecutive T20I series victories in the West Indies and Sri Lanka, Litton acknowledged that the upcoming series against Pakistan would be a formidable challenge. He emphasized the importance of trusting their players.

"Both series wins are significant for me. Defeating the West Indies in their own territory is a major accomplishment, as they are a strong team in those conditions. The same applies to Sri Lanka; they are also a well-rounded team."

"I am uncertain about how the Mirpur wicket will behave during the Pakistan series. It seems to be raining in Dhaka every day, which could make batting difficult," he said.

"Playing against Pakistan in Mirpur will be tough. They possess a diverse bowling attack. They also participate in the BPL frequently, so they are familiar with our conditions. However, I believe we can win matches against them if we play smart cricket," he concluded.

Meanwhile, Sri Lankan captain Charith Asalanka admitted that he had misjudged the Colombo pitch and chose to bat first, while also acknowledging Mahedi's exceptional bowling performance.

"I made a slight misjudgment of the pitch, which led to my decision to bat first," Asalanka stated.

"I must give credit to Bangladesh, especially their bowlers. Mahedi bowled exceptionally well, and their fielding was outstanding. They competed fiercely, and we also made too many errors. In T20s, you can't afford to make mistakes because it's the fastest format. If we aspire to be a strong team, we must minimize our errors," he said.

Asalanka mentioned that Sri Lanka was also experimenting with their batting lineup, but he did not want to use that as a justification.

"I could say a lot about this series, particularly after this defeat. The team that won the series performed exceptionally well. As I've mentioned before, we are heading to the World Cup, and we are testing different combinations. We won the T20 World Cup in 2024, but it was a significant challenge for us, and we need to carefully consider our combinations," he said.

"In the previous World Cup, we lacked a strong middle order, so we are still evaluating who fits best. Today, we tried Dinesh Chandimal at No. 4 and made some adjustments at No. 6, but we are still searching for the right balance. There are certain limitations that we need to address swiftly," he said.

"No, that's not what I meant (about using experimentation as an excuse). We still have to play to win every match while we experiment, and we will continue to do that," he concluded.