Sylhet: Bangladesh head coach Phil Simmons urged his cricketers to maintain the standard in the three-match T20 International series against the Netherlands to quell any possibility of an upset.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the series opening game is scheduled for tomorrow at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, with Bangladesh seeking a winning start. Speaking at a press conference at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium today, Simmons emphasized that the team always approaches matches with the aim to win, regardless of the opponent. “We don’t think about losing to anybody. We think about how we play and the standards we want to set. And I’m sure if we play to that level, we will win,” Simmons stated.
His comments were in response to concerns about the potential risk of losing to a lower-ranked team like the Netherlands. While a comfortable victory is anticipated, the Bangladesh team management is aware that a defeat would attract significant criticism. Addressing whether this possibility puts pressure on the team, Simmons dismissed the notion. “If we lose against Australia, we get criticized. So, losing against a team that is lower down on the table is not a bad thing, because if we don’t play well on the day, we deserve to be criticized,” he explained. “If we play well and they beat us, they deserve it. So, we don’t think about losing to anybody.”
Bangladesh has an impressive record against the Dutch, having won four out of five meetings in this format, with their last defeat occurring in 2012. However, the Netherlands recently surprised Bangladesh in the ICC ODI World Cup in India in 2023, which might bolster their confidence to secure their first T20 victory against Bangladesh in 13 years. The Netherlands have also secured qualification for the 2026 T20 World Cup as European qualifiers champions and have a history of upsetting major teams, notably defeating South Africa in the 2022 T20 World Cup.
Simmons acknowledged the capability of the Netherlands team, stating, “We are playing three T20 internationals. And once you say internationals, it’s an international team. They’ve played in the last two World Cups. They’ve done well when they’ve played in the World Cup. So, I don’t think, I can’t see us underrating anybody. You know, in World Cricket now, you don’t underrate people.”
He further highlighted that past victories against the Netherlands in the T20 format do not warrant complacency. “Everybody has a chance to win. Everybody’s playing good cricket now. So, we’ve got to play to a standard that we want to continue playing at,” Simmons concluded.