Bangladesh cricket team head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe’s primary target is to reach the second round of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, to be held in Australia and New Zealand from next month.
“We must go to the second round,” Hathurusinghe said to media at a press conference on Wednesday.
Knowing the weather conditions of Australia well having spent time there, the coach is hopeful that his player will able to adjust with the conditions there when they practice in Brisbane for two weeks ahead of their world cup campaign.
The Sri Lankan considers the Tigers squad for the World Cup to be a really good one, with a good mix, although there are different opinions about team selection.
He also does not worry about the players currently injured in his squad, as they still have one month to recover.
Asked about Soumya Sarkar, the coach said, “He has been in the runs, so I will definitely be looking to him with the bat, as well as bowling.”
Hathurusinghe hopes his players will work hard to keep fit in Australian conditions, and play according to their potential.
He emphasised that the team will target winning, saying,”I want win and that’s the fact, as long as we play according to our potential we can hope to win.”
The coach believes that leg spin bowling could be very effective in Australia with pitches offering extra bounce, apart from fast bowling.
Hathurusingha would have preferred having a leg-spinner in the squad but his suggestion to pick Jubair Hossain was not taken into consideration as the selectors went for an all left-arm spin attack. He was present in the last-minute discussions with the three selectors on last Sunday.
Shakib Al Hasan’s stint in the BBL – Australia’s domestic T20 series – before the World Cup will help him adjust to the conditions and definitely will be an advantage for him as well as for the team.
Praising veteran spin bowler Abdur Razzak as “a very good player”, the coach however regretted that he couldn’t say any more about his future, as it is not in his hands.
