'Good thing is that all ended well'

Bangladesh's Test and T20I skipper Shakib Al Hasan was relieved that everything ended positively for the Tigers in the first Test in Chattogram as Bangladesh secured their first-ever win against the West Indies on home soil.

Shakib, who had been nursing a finger injury that he sustained during a tri-nation series in January this year, was finally given the all-clear to return to action following a lengthy lay-off.

At one point in the game, the West Indies looked capable of staging a dramatic comeback before Mehedi Hasan Miraz broke a 63-run ninth-wicket stand by removing Jomel Warrican.

Bangladesh's premier all-rounder spoke particularly about this incident during the post-match press conference, saying he felt immense pressure while taking the catch.

"I faced the most pressure when taking the last catch because when the partnership developed I saw that everyone was panicking a little although I think I myself was calm. At that time when the ball was spinning over my head, I was wondering about those things and kept thinking how everyone would panic if I missed. Good thing is that all ended well," Shakib said.

Shakib became the first Bangladeshi to take 200 Test wickets after giving the Tigers their first breakthrough in West Indies' chase of a 204-run target.

He also became the fastest to 3,000 runs and 200 wickets, achieving this feat in his 54th appearance, one less than England legend Ian Botham.

However, Shakib said that his personal achievements would not mean anything if the team had ended up losing the game.

"Actually no… I don't know. Maybe I do feel good but I don't know for sure. The thing is when the match is won, the happiness factor is much greater. But when the team doesn't win, those successes aren't expressed. Now questions are being raised about the personal achievements but the questions would have been about the defeat had we lost. So the feelings are related to those things. When the team does well and there are personal achievements then it feels good. But if the opposite happens then there is no meaning. That's why I say that the more the team wins and I can contribute, the personal achievements will come," the left-hander opined.

The skipper also exuded confidence over the Tigers' spin attack and believed that given a certain amount of help from the wicket, they could do very well in a game.

"The spinners we have in our team are quality spinners, especially if there is help in the wicket. When there is no help, it doesn't seem like our deliveries are that effective," he added.

"If there is help, we are really good bowlers. However, we need to improve overall on one aspect, which is that we need to sharpen our game sense; what to do in certain situations. Maybe it happens that someone is a very attack-minded bowler but he did not get any wickets that day and maybe someone else is getting wickets at the other end. So if the bowler at the other end can bowl without giving runs, considering the team and his bowling partner, and if we make better use of our sense, then I think our spin attack can do even better," the Test captain believed.

Talking about the wicket, the skipper said: "They [the curators] tried to make the kind of wickets that we should have at home and what we need. But no matter how the wicket is, if you don't bowl at the right areas then nothing matters. These things were achieved with everyone's combined effort."

Shakib also sounded optimistic as he said that he was confident that he would be playing the second Test in Dhaka in better condition.

"There is a few days time, so [I] will be able to work on fitness. I batted in three sessions before playing the first Test. Returning after a period of two months, it very little, since I could not work on my fitness. It was difficult for me. By God's blessing I could finish the match well. I am certain that I will play the next match in better condition." Shakib confidently said.

On his expectation regarding the wicket for the Dhaka Test, Shakib said: "The curator will prepare the wicket. It's not important what we are expecting. I don't think one should talk about these things. These things are private and I will be happy if it stays amongst my players."