In the aftermath of the opening Test in Sylhet, New Zealand cricket captain Tim Southee acknowledged that Bangladesh, in their ever-improving form, outplayed his team to win the match.
Southee refrained from attributing the defeat to any lingering fatigue among the players from the ODI World Cupcampaign. Alongside five other teammates, Southee, who was part of the squad that lost to India in the semi-finals just two weeks prior, entered the Test series in Bangladesh.

New Zealand had a demanding schedule since September, which included limited-overs matches in England and Bangladesh, but Southee chose to commend the prowess of the Bangladesh team rather than citing the busy itinerary as a factor in his team’s defeat.

“You look at the way the Bangladesh bowlers were able to apply pressure for a long period of time. I think we did that in periods but we did not do it for long enough,” Southee said after New Zealand’s first ever test loss in Bangladesh.
He also mentioned that New Zealand’s batsmen were unable to forge the partnerships they aimed for.
“So many things you can look back on. As a side, we are just looking to improve and hopefully learn from this and move forward.”

New Zealand relied on Kane Williamson’s resilient century to marginally surpass Bangladesh’s first-innings total of 310. However, in the pursuit of a target of 332 on a deteriorating pitch, the visiting team succumbed to the spin-heavy bowling attack of the hosts and were dismissed for 181.
“We knew in this part of the world, as test moves on, it gets harder to bat,” Southee said. “Every time you lose, it’s not ideal but I think it’s just a sign of an ever-improving Bangladesh team.”
Regarding the extended time spent on the road, Southee mentioned that it wasn’t a significant concern for them.
“We had a little bit of a break after World Cup,” the seamer said. “As professional player, you know it’s a busy schedule…”It’s been a long time on the road for some, but that’s part and parcel of being an international cricketer.”
(With Reuters inputs)