Sports Reporter :
Motivated Bangladesh Cricket team will take on New Zealand Cricket team in the 1st Twenty20 International (T20I) match at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in the city’s Mirpur today. The game will start at 4.00pm (Bangladesh Standard Time). Private satellite channel GTV, private satellite sports channel T Sports will telecast the match live from the arena.
Before today’s match, Bangladesh failed to earn any win against the Kiwis in this shorter version cricket meet.
Players of Bangladesh Cricket team took part in their practice session on Tuesday.
Batting Coach of Bangladesh team Ashwell Prince worked with the top-order batsmen. Pace Bowling Coach Ottis Gibson was busy with ‘Cutter Boy’ Mustafizur Rahman, promising Shoriful Islam and other bowlers. All the cricketers were engaged in fielding practice.
Bangladesh team are now-a-days in a good shape. They whitewashed Zimbabwe in the T20I series recently. After that, they defeated Australia series by 4-1 margin in the five-match T20I series.
Though Bangladesh team failed to beat New Zealand in the T20I series but Bangladesh whitewashed the Kiwis twice in the ODI series at home.
It may be mentioned that Nurul Hasan Sohan and Mushfiqur Rahim will act as wicketkeepers in the five-match T20I series. Nurul Hasan Sohan will act as a wicketkeeper in the first and second T20I matches, while Mushfiqur Rahim will perform as a wicketkeeper in the third and fourth T20I matches. After analyses their performance, the better one will act behind the wicket wearing wicketkeeping gloves.
Captain of Bangladesh team Mahmudullah Riyad said, ” Mushfiqur Rahim has played for his team. So, there is no problem to him to split the duty of wicketkeeper with Nurul Hasan. Nurul Hasan is also happy. He is doing well as a wicketkeeper. Mushfiqur Rahim is also well. So, if they split their duty, it will be helpful for the team.”
The ICC World T20 will be held in October in UAE. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) have to announce the Bangladesh T20I Cricket team before September 10. Before announce Bangladesh T20I squad, the selectors will get chance to watch the New Zealand series.
Riyad said, Bangladesh squad for ICC World T20 is almost confirm. I talked to Head Coach Russell Domingo. The selectors will announce the squad soon. It may be good if the BCB announces the World Cup squad before ending the New Zealand series. But it is not our control. Our duty is to perform in the field and we have to think to show a positive cricket in the field.”
Though injured Tamim Iqbal was not included in the Bangladesh squad against New Zealand but Tamim has a chance to be included in the squad for World T20.
Riyad said, ” I discuss with Domingo about Tamim. The selectors will take the decision as soon as possible.”
Bangladesh squad : Mahmudullah Riyad (Captain), Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Soumya Sarkar, Liton Das, Mosaddek Hossain, Afif Hossain, Mohammad Naim, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Shamim Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Mohammad Saifuddin, Shoriful Islam, Taijul Islam, Mahedi Hasan, Aminul Islam Biplob and Nasum Ahmed.
New Zealand squad: Tom Latham (Captain), Finn Allen, Hamish Bennett, Tom Blundell (Wicketkeeper), Doug Bracewell, Colin de Grandhomme, Jacob Duffy, Scott Kuggeleijn, Cole McConchie, Henry Nicholls, Ajaz Patel, Rachin Ravindra, Ben Sears, Blair Tickner and Will Young.
