ZCZC
BSP-19
CRICKET-BD-19-NZ-TOUR
Young Tigers vows to conquer New Zealand
DHAKA, September 23, 2019 (BSS) – Bangladesh Under-19 team is determined to shrug off their disappointing performance in the ACC Under-19 Asia Cup to achieve a good result in their upcoming New Zealand tour.
In a bid to play five-match one-day series as part of their preparation for the next year’s Under-19 World Cup in South Africa, the young Tigers left the country on Monday.
This is their last tour ahead of the Youth World Cup. Bangladesh Under-19 team however tasted a disappointing 5-run loss to India in the final of Asia Cup recently, which left them in traumatized situation, said captain Akbar Ali.
“This was an extremely disappointing match as we even couldn’t overhaul the target of 107 runs,” Akbar Ali said here on Monday before leaving the country.
“It left us in traumatized situation and it needs some times to get out of this.”
“However the New Zealand tour is our last before the World Cup. We’ll try to play well there to gain some confidence ahead of the World Cup. The New Zealand and South African condition is almost similar. So I think if we play well in New Zealand we’ll do well in South Africa.”
The tour is significant given this will be the first time a Bangladesh team will travel to New Zealand following the terror attacks in Christchurch in March.
During that ill-fated day, members of Bangladesh national team was “about 50 yards from the mosque” – one of two in Christchurch – where a gunman opened fire. They managed to escape through Hagley Park and the tour was called off shortly after.
All the matches on the U-19 tour will be hosted at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln. The matches are scheduled for September 29, October 2, 6, 9 and 13.
The series was slated for April, but New Zealand Cricket cancelled the tour at the time. They had felt sending an age-group side to the country affected by the tragedy at that point would be “insensitive and inappropriate”.
Squad: Akbar Ali (Captain), Tawhid Hridoy (Vice Captain), Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Mohammad Parvez Hossain Emon, Shahadat Hossain, Rakibul Hasan, Asadullah Hill Galib, Shoriful Islam, Mohammad Mrittunjoy Chowdhury Nipun, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Avishek Das, Shamim Hossain, Anik Sarker, Hasan Morad
Stand By – Amite Hasan, Prantik Nawrose Nabil, Ashraful Islam Siam, Mohammad Rishad Hossain, Mohammad Shahin Alom, Minhazur Rahman Mohanna
BSS/SMP/SMM/1730 hrs