Nahid Rana rues bowling let-off in loss to Zimbabwe

Bangladesh pacer Nahid Rana felt his side paid the price in the three-match ODI series opener against Zimbabwe due to a lack of bowling intensity. Rana claimed 6 for 21, the best figures by a Bangladesh bowler in ODIs, surpassing Mashrafe Mortaza's 6-26 against Kenya in 2006. Despite his heroics, Zimbabwe secured a 25-run win in a low-scoring affair.

Zimbabwe were struggling at 70/8 before captain Richard Ngarava and Newman Nyamhuri counterattacked against Bangladesh's spinners, adding 63 runs off 81 balls to post 141 on a tricky wicket. Zimbabwe successfully defended the fourth-lowest total in ODI history, while Bangladesh's 25-run defeat was their lowest successful run chase failure in a full 50-over ODI.

Rana did not hesitate to criticize the batting unit.

"I think we started well bowling-wise, but when it came to batting we couldn't do well. If we hadn't lost back-to-back wickets and put on a good partnership, the result could've been different today," Rana said.

"They had a partnership going for the last wicket. If I had taken that wicket earlier, they would have been restricted for less. It would have been better for us. I felt our bowlers bowled a bit loose at that time," he added.

"Of course I always enjoy my bowling. When I feel it's my day, I try to make full use of it and help my team win. I couldn't do it today. If our bowlers had broken that partnership, the result could have been different today."

Rana also said he did not miss the lone Test against Zimbabwe, as he was rested due to workload management and was instead preparing for the white-ball series.

"I wouldn't say I missed being out of the lone Test as it was down to my workload management. That time I was preparing for the upcoming one-day series," said Rana, who picked his third five-wicket haul in ODIs.