Ahead of their second ICC World Cup 2023 clash against England, Bangladesh’s spin bowling coach, Rangana Herath, underlined their aim for another victory akin to their performance against Afghanistan.
Herath stressed the team’s intent to replicate the brand of cricket that paved the way for a comfortable triumph against Afghanistan, propelling their World Cup campaign.
The match against England is set to commence at 11 am (Bangladesh time) in Dharamsala, the same ground where they secured a victory over Afghanistan. And it will be telecast live by T Sports and Gtv, along with online streaming platforms.
Against Afghanistan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz took the lead, claiming three wickets and hitting a half-century. In tandem, Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan also clinched three wickets.
Ahead of the Dharamsala encounter, concerns swirled around the uneven and sand-strewn outfield. ICC rated it as average, prompting Jonathan Trott, former cricketer and current coach of Afghanistan, to caution the English team.
Nonetheless, Herath expressed contentment with Dharamsala’s condition, citing ICC’s endorsement for hosting ODIs there. Both Bangladesh and Afghanistan players grappled with the outfield in the previous match.
Addressing queries about imposing fielding restrictions to prevent injuries, Herath clarified there are no such plans. He emphasized the team’s commitment to giving their best in all aspects.
“No, we are not going to restrict anything because if you ask someone to restrict something, in that case they don’t give their 100%,” he said. “In that case, I’m sure that they did well in the previous game, so we are asking them to give their best even in the outfield as well.”
Bangladesh’s success in the first match was largely attributed to their spinners, a role Herath expects them to continue against England.
Bangladesh didn’t employ a sixth bowler in the first match, even though Mahmudullah Riyad and Najmul Hossain Shanto were part of the playing XI. The captain didn’t call upon them.
Regarding the possibility of a sixth bowler against England, Herath noted that the team management, including the captain and coach, may make the final decision based on their assessment of conditions and the pitch on match day.
Bangladesh’s main concern against England lies in their batting lineup, which is historically vulnerable to a potent attack like England’s. Particularly, solid starts from the openers have been rare for the Tigers.
Herath, however, remains optimistic about a strong performance from Litton Das, Bangladesh’s primary opener, in the absence of Tamim Iqbal. Litton has been navigating a rough patch for a while now.
“I’m sure that Litton will come back very strongly,” Rangana said on Sunday in the pre-match press conference in Dharamsala.
