Sports Reporter :
All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan says Bangladesh will head to the T20 World Cup later this year full of confidence after series wins against Zimbabwe, Australia and New Zealand.
Bangladesh’s Twenty20 side defeated hosts Zimbabwe 2-1 in July, beat Australia 4-1 at home in August and completed a 3-2 series victory against New Zealand in Dhaka on Friday.
Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has said that despite the criticism that the turning T20I pitches at home have copped, the victories have given the team a much needed “winning mindset” ahead of the T20 World Cup in the UAE and Oman.
“I think we have a good chance in the World Cup. We had a good preparation. The big reason for this is that we won our last three series,” Shakib told reporters on Saturday.
“When a team keep winning, carries a winning mentality, they give it the confidence of a different level.”
”We will go there 15-16 days before the World Cup and I feel that will be enough to adapt to those conditions and wickets and I don’t think this pitch and conditions will have an impact over there. We have developed a winning mentality and want to go there with it.”
Most matches in the recent series were low-scoring affairs, with Bangladesh’s batsmen struggling alongside their visitors on pitches that have come under criticism.
“It is difficult to say how far we can go, but I feel we can go all the way at the World Cup,” Shakib said. “We have to play match by match and if we can do well in the first round, we will carry that confidence and we can give our best in the main round (Super 12).
“Everyone is out of form, those who played these 9 to 10 matches. Here no one (batsman) did very well that we can say that the (openers) did badly, so I feel we should not count these games to judge our batsmen. I feel a batsman will end his career if he plays 10 to 15 matches here. Everyone is trying, and have the ability to win matches for the country,” Shakib said, adding that IPL will be a good preparation.
”I think it (IPL) will help. We will be staying there and will get accustomed to those conditions and we (Mustafizur and I) can share our experiences with other teammates. The two of us can understand the mindset of the cricketers regarding the World Cup and we can share that with our teammates that will help us to do well in the World Cup.
