DHAKA, May 29, 2019 (BSS) – Despite their 95-run defeat to India in the last warm-up game, Bangladesh remained calm as they didn’t take the defeat seriously, considering it as just a mere practice game.
While the ICC Cricket World Cup, the cricket’s biggest carnival rolls on to the ground from tomorrow (Thursday), Bangladesh will get down to their business on June 2 (Sunday) by facing off South Africa at The Oval.
Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza said there is nothing to be worried in just one defeat and urged his side to keep faith on their ability.
The captain believes his side has already coped with the condition of English, which keeps them in good stead.
”We had a few matches in Ireland so we’ve spent about four weeks here. So I believe we have coped with the condition already” Mashrafe said after the last warm-up game.
”Nothing to be worried with just one defeat. Our top order is scoring some runs and Soumya got few fifties, Liton played well and Mushfiqur is consistent. Hopefully our top order will continue to score,” he added.
Mashrafe used nine bowlers and didn’t give any bowlers to bowl more than eight overs, which clearly indicated that he wants experiment ahead of their first game in the cricket’s biggest extravaganza.
”We had a few niggles, like with Shakib and some pace bowlers so we can’t take risk. I also had a hamstring issue, Mustafiz had a calf issue and Shakib also had a bad back spasm last week,” he said.
Still Bangladesh’s bowling was not up to the mark even though Mustafizur and Mashrafe were excellent during their first spell, utilizing the early moisture of the wicket to good effect. Century of KL Rahul and MS Dhoni powered India to 359-7 and Bangladesh were expected to score above 300 if not they won the game.
In fact it was to see how they could cope up with modern power cricket when 300 above total became normal.
But the Tigers failed to live up to the expectation to adjust with the modern power cricket, being all out for 264 and conceded a humiliating 95-run defeat to India to end their warm-up games at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff on Tuesday.
Their first game against Pakistan was washed out without a ball being bowled, meaning they would get into the World Cup no victories in warm-up games under the belt.
“Musfiqur remains consistent. Liton Das is doing his job. It would have been better had they both scored centuries. We would have reached 300 had Mahmudullah Riyad been there for a little bit longer. I think playing India’s high-quality attack in the practice match is going to help us in the tournament proper.
But we can’t lose wickets in pairs. It makes chasing 350-plus very difficult. Liton and Mushfiq got out just when they were becoming aggressive, while Shakib and Mohammad Mithun got out first ball, although to good deliveries.”
Bangladesh rested opener Tamim Iqbal against India in their last warm-up as part of precaution due to the injury sustained in their last practice session.
Mashrafe said he is okay to play the first match against South Africa on June 2 at The Oval.
Despite the defeat Bangladesh could search motivation from their past record. Ahead of 2015 World Cup, they lost their both warm-up games and even ahead of tri-series tournament in Ireland in which they lifted the trophy as unbeaten champions, they lost their warm-up game to a second strong Ireland side.