Sylhet: The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president, Aminul Islam Bulbul, expressed confidence that the team’s three consecutive T20 series victories will provide a psychological advantage in the upcoming Asia Cup. Bangladesh secured the T20 series against the Netherlands after winning the first two matches of the three-match series. Prior to this, they had triumphed in series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Bulbul shared his thoughts with reporters in Sylhet, emphasizing the confidence within the team. “We won three series in a row. And it appears that the players had a lot of confidence. I think the confidence will be useful in the Asia Cup,” he remarked. Bulbul also highlighted the positive team atmosphere, noting that even benched players are contributing significantly when given the chance.
Saif Hasan’s performance was crucial in the first T20 against the Netherlands, scoring an unbeaten 36 and taking two wickets. Meanwhile, Nasum Ahmed earned the man of the match title in the second game, claiming three wickets for 21 runs. Bulbul expressed satisfaction with the performances of players like Nasum and Saif, who excel despite irregular playtime.
He observed, “It looks there is healthy competition. When your bench is strong, you will get extra cushion. I think we have good players in the bench at the moment.” Bulbul stressed the importance of nurturing this group, acknowledging the fluctuations in form inherent in the sport. Consistency in performance, he noted, improves as competition among players increases.
Bulbul particularly praised the team’s bowling efforts. In the first T20I, Bangladesh restricted the Netherlands to 136-8 and then bowled them out for 103 in just 17.3 overs in the second match. He noted a significant decrease in poor deliveries from the bowlers, affirming, “T20 cricket is a game where bowlers feel the pressure most but if you can bowl well, you can win the match. Our advantage is that all of our bowlers are doing well consistently.”
Overall, Bulbul believes Bangladesh is playing cohesively as a team, and he commended Liton Das’ captaincy. “They are playing as a team and Liton’s presence is very visible. Not only on the field, I mean overall his captaincy is brilliant,” he concluded.