Simmons blames dropped catches, poor batting for defeat to Pakistan

Bangladesh coach Phil Simmons blamed three dropped catches and batteres' poor execution against Pakistan after his side lost lost by 11 runs in their Asia Cup Super-Fours fixture.

Bangladesh's hope to play the Asia Cup final was ruined after tasting a 11-run defeat to Pakistan in a 'do or die' contest at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Thursday night.

Pakistan were 51 for 5 when Nurul Hasan and Mahedi Hasan dropped Shaheen Shah Afridi in the 12th over. Afridi went on to hit two sixes in a 13-ball 19 and hand Pakistan a bit of momentum. After he fell, Parvez Hossain Emon dropped Mohammad Nawaz on zero; Nawaz went on to make 25 off 15 balls with two sixes and a four.

 "When we dropped Shaheen and Nawaz, that's where the game changed," he said. "Before that, we were in control. Some of the catches maybe [had something to do with the lights] but I don't think the ones we dropped had anything to do with the lights." Simmons said.

Simmons felt Bangladesh's batters had taken better decisions against Sri Lanka compared to this chase against Pakistan. Bangladesh hit more sixes than Pakistan, but they also lost a number of wickets while trying to play big shots. Simmons also suggested that the team had missed captain Litton Das, who sat out his second straight game with a side strain.

"We didn't have to chase it in any [particular number of] overs. We just had to win the game," Simmons said. "It was just bad decisions. All of the teams have that at some point. It was us today. We didn't make the best shot selections. He said.

"We just chased 160 [169 vs Sri Lanka] two games ago. We are not a team that can lose Tanzid [Hasan] and captain [Litton] in one game and just fill [the void] like that. We are getting to that stage, we are not there yet. Losing the captain in such good form is a big thing for us.

"We chased 160 [169] on the same wicket, where we made better batting decisions. Batting order doesn't say we batted well or badly. We made bad decisions today."

Pakistan managed to post a moderate 135-8 but defended it by restricting Bangladesh to 124-9, thanks to a superlative bowling performance of pace bowling duo Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rouf.

The duo shared six wickets, claiming three wickets each in a measly bowling to help the side set up final against archrivals India on Sunday.

The two old foes had already met twice in group phase and Super Fours with India winning those two matches with incredible ease.