ZCZC
BSP-14
CRICKET-TEAM-DEPARTURE
Mushfiqur, Mahmudullah and co. leave for NZ
DHAKA, Feb 6, 2019 (BSS)- The first batch of Bangladesh national cricket
team comprising eight-members left Dhaka for New Zealand today (Wednesday) to
play three ODIs and three Tests.
Mushfiqur Rahim, Mustafizur Rahman, Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan, Soumya
Sarkar, Sabbir Rahman, Nayeem Hasan and Liton Das were the players who were
on the New Zealand-bound flight while the rest are expected to join the team
after the end of the Bangladesh Premier League T20 final slated on February
8.
Tour manager Khaled Masud and coach Rhodes are accompanying the first batch
of players.
Although Bangladesh is yet to register a victory across formats against New
Zealand in their soil but this time Tigers coach Steve Rhodes is confident
enough that his boys would be able to bring good results for the country.
Talking to the newsmen ahead of the departure, Rhodes said his side would
take confidence from the impressive record last year in ODIs, where they won
13 out of 20 matches.
He said they are very happy with the recent performances of the boys and is
hoping to do well in the ODI format because that’s something they can take
pride of and they would give their best in this format in New Zealand.
Though Bangladesh’s performance in Test is not that satisfactory, but the
Tigers coach hoped that his boys would be able to produce some better results
in the longer version of cricket.
Since most of the teams are now passing busy time to prepare for the ICC
World Cup, the Tigers’ coach believes that the series in New Zealand would
provide his team a good opportunity in terms of assessing the squad.
The ODI series will begin from February 13, while the Test series begins on
February 28.
ODI SQUAD:
Masrafe Bin Mortaza (captain), Shakib Al Hasan (vice captain), Tamim Iqbal
Khan, Litton Kumer Das, Soumya Sarker, Mushfiqur Rahim, Md Mithun, Mahmud
Ullah, Shabbir Rahaman, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mustafizur Rahman, Rubel Hossain,
M Shaifuddin, Nayeem Hasan and Shafiul Islam.
BSS/SG/ARS/1930 hrs