‘We can beat anyone’: Liton confident ahead of Pakistan series

 After a humbling series defeat to the UAE in Sharjah, Bangladesh are eager to bounce back as they begin their three-match T20I series against Pakistan today in Lahore. Captain Litton Das said the team is ready to take on what he calls a "new challenge."

"We were not up to the mark in the last series," Liton admitted on the eve of the opening game. "This is a new series, a new challenge. We know where we did well and where we did badly in the past. We will have to apply that [information] in the game."

The Tigers, who failed to defend targets in the second and third T20Is against UAE and struggled for batting consistency, are keen to find their rhythm in Lahore. While individual performances from Parvez Hossain Emon and Tanzid Hasan offered glimpses of promise, the overall batting effort lacked cohesion.

Litton, who scored 65 runs across the UAE series, is determined to lead from the front. "I know how important my batting role is in this team. I will try my best to stay consistent. We have some good form players in the team. T20 needs a combined batting effort, so if we can do well together, we will have chance of good results."

The skipper stressed the importance of focusing inward, rather than fixating on the opposition. "We however have the belief that we can beat any team in the world. We have to play good cricket. We are not focused on the opposition. I am not only focused on the team's result, which doesn't always come your way. I think what's more important is how we are playing the game."

Liton also acknowledged the scrutiny the team has faced in recent weeks. "It is expected that there will be discussions and criticism when we don't play well. We always try to play good cricket. We don't want to repeat our mistakes of the past. I think we can have a good series."

Reflecting on Bangladesh's standing in the T20I rankings, Litton was candid. "We would be among the top teams in the world if we were a consistent side. We definitely lack something as we are down in the rankings. We are working towards becoming more consistent. Every series presents a different challenge."

As for conditions in Lahore, Litton expects a shift from what they experienced in Sharjah. "We fielded in the second half in all three matches in Sharjah. The dew was a factor in those games. We haven't seen any dew in the three days we have been in Lahore. We expect the conditions to be similar to how it was in the PSL. It will be a high-scoring series. We have to play smart cricket."