ZCZC
BSP-12
CRICKET-BD-IRE-PREVIEW
Tigers face off Ireland in dead rubber
DHAKA, May 14, 2019 (BSS)- Bangladesh will take on hosts Ireland in the
last group match of the tri-series tournament, which turned out to be a dead-
rubber after both Bangladesh and West Indies confirmed the spot in final.
The match starts at 3.45 pm (BST) at the Clontarf Cricket Club ground on
Wednesday.
The Tigers, however, aim to continue the winning-spree and boost their
confidence further ahead of the final against West Indies on Friday.
Bangladesh won both of their matches against West Indies in emphatic
fashion while their first match against Ireland was washed out without a ball
being bowled due to heavy rain. Thereby they top the table so far with 10
points from three matches and a win against Ireland would further widen their
gap to West Indies who have nine points from four games.
West Indies won both of their matches against Ireland in comprehensive
manner to seal the spot in final but they proved them to be no match for
Bangladesh.
Unlike the first match, they pushed Bangladesh to some extent in the
second game but Bangladesh eventually showed the difference in skill between
the two sides.
“The way we’re playing, I think we bowled really well. We didn’t start
well, but luckily we got the breakthrough. In the middle part Mustafizur
bowled well, and Shakib and Miraz too,” Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Bin
Mortaza said after their match against West Indies.
Mashrafe refused to feel complacent despite sealing the final and said
that they would go hard against Ireland to continue the winning-spree.
“Getting to the final was the most important thing. The boys are a bit
relaxed, but two matches left, and we’ll go hard, and see how it goes in the
final,” he added.
For Bangladesh the good news is the form of Mustafizur Rahman, who
produced a match-winning performance, claiming 4-43 to be adjudged man of the
match. This performance came after leaking 92 and 84 runs in his last two
International matches. To get an in form Mustafizur ahead of final game is a
reason to delight for Bangladesh.
Mustafizur indeed proved his head coach Steve Rhodes preciously right as
he was unfazed by the performance of Fizz, saying that he would hit back with
bang when it will matter most.
And when the criticism gripped him, the Cutter Master, showed he has
enough fuel in the tank.
Mashrafe Bin Mortaza as usually has been fantastic. Apart from his
bowling, he led his side to win in 42 matches in 74 games. In doing so he sat
beside Rahul Dravid in leading the side to win while he eclipsed New
Zealand’s Daniel Vettori who led side win in 41 matches in 82 games.
The top order fired in the two completed games but what would make
Bangladesh worried to some extent that the lower middle lower remain untested
so far as they didn’t have enough scope to bat. In the dead-rubber Bangladesh
may ensure some cricket for the untested lower middle order.
Amid a near perfect game, the only bother of spot was, however, the
performance of ODI debutant Abu Jayed Rahi who replaced injured Mohammad
Saifuddin. Rahi went wicket-less, giving away 56 runs in his nine overs and
lacked bite.
Bangladesh wouldn’t like to loss the game against Ireland but it is highly
likely that they would bring up some changes to the squad to give some of the
players a game time. And it is obviously ideal in a dead rubber.
BSS/SMP/SSS/1507 hrs