Hridoy hits back at critics as Bangladesh opt for safety over speed

Bangladesh has kicked off the Asia Cup journey with a 7-wicket win against Hong Kong on Thursday. Towhid Hridoy has defended Bangladesh's approach during the match, suggesting that the goal was to play "smart cricket" and win first, instead of focusing on their net run-rate.

Bangladesh knocked off the 144-run target in their Asia Cup opener in 17.4 overs, but at the post-match press conference, Hridoy was repeatedly asked if the team could've finished the game earlier, to perhaps show a statement of intent.

"We wanted to ensure that the match doesn't slip away from us," Hridoy explained. "We tried to end the game early, but I couldn't connect the ball that well. I think the result is more important than finishing one or two overs earlier. You (the media) would have had something to say had we lost today.

"We could have finished the game earlier, but we stuck to the demands of the situation. Our mentality is to always win. I think we played smart cricket. We could have finished two or three overs earlier, but we could have lost one or two more wickets. We must prioritise partnerships. We tried to hit more boundaries, but it didn't happen."