Bangladesh will continue its 'tactical
aggressive' cricket for another success as they face off Ireland in three-
match T20 International series.
The series opening game begins tomorrow (Monday) at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury
Stadium in Chattogram. The match which will be aired live on T-Sport Channel,
starts from 2 PM.
Since being consigned to ODI series defeat to England for the first time
after 2016 by losing first two matches, Bangladesh won six straight matches.
In their period they won the last ODI against England to avoid ODI whitewash
and then swept English in three-match T20 series emphatically. The success
continued as they won the ODI series against Ireland by 2-0 and more
importantly in every game, they rewrote records.
It appeared that Bangladesh are going through new era of cricket, specially
the way they were playing of late. But according to head coach Chandika
Hathurusingha all those were possible for the 'tactical aggressive' cricket,
which made cricketers hungrier for success, something which was instrumental
in team's clinical performance.
"I don't see this as a new era. That's how we wanted to play our cricket
going forward. We won't play aggressive cricket. Aggressive cricket, as I
explain, it doesn't mean we go and hit hard further as we can," Hathurusingha
said.
"It's aggressive in every sense of the word. Our selection (should be)
aggressive field placing, our body language, our fielding, batting (Should be
aggressive). Tactically we're going to be aggressive. We want to play the
best way we can. I think when we play like that-- like with aggression and
with freedom, this team will do well always."
Psychological safety also brought out the best of the players to make them
hungry for success, Hathurusingha clarified.
"One word I can sum up is psychological safety. it's a big word. There's a
lot of things in behind that like if you can create the environment that the
players can do their best without worry about outcomes, without worry about
repercussion. Not only coaches, not only selectors even from their peers, if
they can be free of trying things and if they fail it's still okay, they are
the same players and we trust them," he added.
Given their past record against Ireland and the recent success, it is
expected Bangladesh would sweep the T20 series also. The two sides played
five matches in this format so far with the last on 2016. Ireland won the
first match between the two sides in 2009 T20 World Cup in England but
Bangladesh later whitewashed Ireland in three-match series in 2012 that too
on Ireland soil. Their last game in 2016 World Cup in Dharmashala was washed
out.
"We want the same result ideally. That's what we talk about as well. We are
going to do the same processes that are in place for us. If we do our process
right, we are a very good team and that's all we can ask from the players.
And we're trying to improve those processes everyday," Hathurusingha made his
intention clear.
Bangladesh: Shakib Al Hasan (Captain), Liton Das, Rony Talukdar, Najmul
Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nasum
Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Rishad
Hossain and Jaker Ali Anik
Ireland: Andrew Balbirnie (C), Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Curtis Campher, Gareth
Delany, George Dockrell, Graham Hume, Matthew Humphreys, Barry McCarthy,
Conor Olphert, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White and
Craig Young.
Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha