On the fourth day of the first Test, Zimbabwe beat Bangladesh by three wickets, ending Bangladesh's hopes of getting off to a good start at home in the series.  Even though they were in the game for most of it, a sudden collapse on day 4 cost them, and captain Najmul Hossain Shanto took all the blame.

Shanto didn't hold back in the press conference after the game.  Bangladesh were in a good spot when they were 194 for 4, but things changed quickly when the captain was out on the second ball of the day.  In the end, they lost their last six wickets for just 61 runs, which set Zimbabwe a goal of 174, which they nervously beat.

“If you ask me about today, I lost the match alone,” said Shanto. “That early dismissal completely changed the game. Had we built a 50-60 run stand, we could've set up a score above 220, which might have been match-winning.”

He acknowledged that his aggressive shot early in the day wasn’t necessary, especially considering the game situation. “It was the second ball of the day. I do play that shot, but I could’ve waited a bit longer. The situation didn’t demand that shot.”

The skipper credited Blessing Muzarabani for his hostile spell, emphasizing the need for better planning against Zimbabwe’s key pacer: “He bowled really well. His height gives him an extra edge. Still, we should have handled his spells more effectively.”

Shanto stressed that the batting unit lacked consistency and application, even though they had moments of control. “It’s disappointing. We didn’t play good cricket throughout the match,” Shanto admitted. “We can’t say it’s an upset — this is international cricket. We just didn’t play well enough.”

When asked if the match slipped away in the opening five overs of Day 4, Shanto responded, “Yes, I believe so. My dismissal disrupted our rhythm and handed them the momentum.”

While defending a low total, the likes of Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam tried their best to keep Bangladesh in the contest, and Shanto was quick to commend their efforts, “Miraz and Taijul bowled their hearts out, and they deserve credit. But we didn’t put enough runs on the board.”

Zimbabwe now lead the two-match Test series 1–0, with the final Test set to begin on April 28 in Chattogram. Bangladesh will need a strong response to avoid a series defeat at home.