Yeah, that's how I feel too. We weren't humiliated, I don't think there was any shame in this loss. Sets us up for an interesting "final" in the third game!maehara wrote:Ah well - you win some, you lose some.
As for Dabengwa, I don't think dropping him was a crucial mistake. He's the only batsman that performed worse than Williams prior to this match. Dabengwa was offering a bit with the ball for a change, but I don't think he's selected for his bowling.
Probably we will go into the third ODI with an unchanged lineup. Masakadza and Sibanda were able to put together a semi-decent partnership - they just need to work on batting for longer. 0/26 after 10 overs is not a disgraceful start on this Mirpur wicket. If they can bat longer (say, 0/40 after 15 overs) then they will be able to work the singles and get runs at a quicker rate, just as Williams and Utseya did after they had been batting together for a while.
I think it is important to mention that Utseya is having a wonderful series. As captain, whatever he has decided to do differently from the SL series is working. Bowling changes, powerplays, field placements - his tactics have all been very good. Not to mention his batting has been top notch and his bowling better than ever. He has been wonderful to watch.