Hasan Mahmud remains positive despite dropped chances

Bangladesh pacer Hasan Mahmud said the team remains focused despite a sloppy outing on the opening day of the first Test against Ireland in Sylhet, where five catches went down. Hasan stressed that the side is choosing to take positives rather than dwell on the misses.

Ireland finished the day at 270 for 8, and while Bangladesh's fielding let them down, Hasan took comfort in the fact that chances were being created. "It's part of the game, catches will be dropped, but we try to take it as a positive that opportunities are coming and the fielders stay more alert for the next one," Hasan told reporters after play. "Of course, it doesn't feel good when a catch is missed, but everyone is trying their best."

Hasan said the team has been putting in the work on their fielding and believes steady improvement will follow. "I believe everyone is working hard enough on fielding. We do fielding drills every day when we come to the ground. We're trying to get better bit by bit," he said. "This can happen during a game. Catch drops are part of cricket. The main thing is to recover positively – maybe we missed many today, but next time it will decrease. That's what we focus on."

Despite the lapses in the field, Hasan was pleased with Bangladesh's bowling effort on what he described as a batting-friendly surface. "The wicket is very good for batting, but our bowling was disciplined, and our economy rate is around three," said Hasan. "I think we finished the day well. We are in a strong position. If we can take their early wickets tomorrow, everything will be under control. On a batting wicket, 300 isn't too much. Hopefully, we'll chase it down and set a good total."

Hasan expected the spinners to come into play as the match progresses. "It will become a good opportunity for the spinners. As the days go by, the wicket will turn more. If the bowlers stick to their line and length, the spinners will take control."

He also enjoyed his partnership with fellow pacer Nahid Rana, who regularly clocks speeds of 145 kmph. "I enjoy bowling with him [Nahid Rana] very much. He bowls very fast. So, I am a bit inspired by him. We exchange ideas about the wicket, which area is best to bowl, what length to adjust. We try to bowl more wicket-taking deliveries from both ends."

Wilson lauds Ireland debutants Carmichael and Neill

Ireland batting coach Gary Wilson was impressed with his two debutants, Cade Carmichael and Jordan Neill, both of whom made promising starts to their Test careers.

Carmichael, 23, who made his international debut earlier this year in an ODI against West Indies, was handed his first Test cap before play. Coming in at No. 3, he put on a 96-run stand with Paul Stirling (60) – a new Test record for Ireland's second wicket. Neill, 20, contributed a solid 30 from 60 balls and added 48 for the eighth wicket with Barry McCarthy (21*), helping Ireland to a competitive total.

"I think they're both very exciting talents. They acquitted themselves very well in Test match cricket, showed a good method at times, and dealt with some pretty good bowling up front from Bangladesh," said Wilson. "I think they're the future of Irish cricket and they're playing on merit. Carmichael has come off the back of heavy scoring in domestic cricket and has good attributes that we like."

Wilson said both players had earned their places and showed maturity beyond their years. "He [Carmichael] looked very accomplished on his ODI debut against West Indies earlier in the year and someone we have high hopes for. He's only 23, and Jordan's only 20 – both players for the future, but also players for the right now because they deserve to be here," he said.

Reflecting on the day's play, Wilson said Ireland's position was reasonable, though losing Neill off the final ball slightly tilted the balance towards Bangladesh. "There were periods where we looked very comfortable, and then we lost a couple of wickets in clusters. All in all, I think it was a reasonable day, though the last wicket falling off the final ball may have tipped it slightly in Bangladesh's favor," he said. "The spinners bowled accurately and made us work for our runs. It didn't spin much early on, but it began to turn later in the day."

Looking ahead, Wilson said Ireland would aim to add as many runs as possible. "Ideally, you'll get 600 if you can, but from this point of view, we just want to get as many as we can now," he said.