We have ‘all ingredients’ to go the distance

Bangladesh women's team are all set to leave for the UAE tomorrow to partake in the upcoming ninth edition of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup, scheduled to run from 3–20 October, after having suffered a winless drought in the last four instalments. Bangladesh head coach Hashan Tillakaratne, in an interview with The Daily Star's Samsul Arefin Khan, discussed his team's overall preparation and the challenges that await them, among other things, after the Tigresses underwent an official photoshoot at Mirpur's Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. The excerpts from the interview are as follows:

The Daily Star (DS): How have you adapted preparations after the T20 World Cup was shifted to UAE?

Hashan Tillakaratne (HT): It's very unfortunate that the venue has been changed from Bangladesh, but there are things you can't control. So, we must stay in a positive frame of mind. Playing in Sharjah, these wickets will definitely help us. It's all about believing in yourself and going out there to execute the plans.

DS: Do you think the experience of winning the qualifying tournament in 2022 in UAE will come in handy?

HT: We all know that the World Cup is a challenging tournament. We can only control our game plan, and we have all the ingredients. They have played in the UAE before, and I think that experience counts for a lot. I'm sure they understand the seriousness of the game, and I'm confident they will play accordingly and go all the way.

DS: Does the prospect of playing a relatively weaker opponent Scotland, and South Africa -- beaten in their backyard last year -- make you optimistic?

HT: All the teams are challenging. We can't take them lightly. Since I've been working with them for the last two years, I understand their mentality, skills, and everything. I'm sure we have all the ingredients, and the girls are very skilful. If they can play their 'A' game, we have a good chance because we've beaten South Africa in South Africa. There are a lot of positives in our game; we just need to continue that and play as a team.

DS: Recently, leg-spinner Rabeya Khan has emerged as a top performer. How do you sum up her recent development?

HT: She is the future of Bangladesh cricket. She's developing very quickly, which is a positive sign for Bangladesh women's cricket. For a 17 or 18-year-old to develop so rapidly in two years is really good for Bangladesh. She's risen in the WT20I rankings, which is another positive for us. We have a lot of confidence in her, and I'm sure she will do what's needed. Also, she's a very smart girl.

DS: What's your take on the overdependence on Nigar Sultana Joty's batting?

HT: Yes, we've spoken about this often with Nigar and the other six or seven batters about how they need to support her. As you correctly pointed out, we've been putting undue pressure on Nigar. That's why I've tried different combinations so they can take some pressure off her. There are a few combinations in place now, and I'm sure they understand their roles and will play accordingly.

DS: We largely have the same players who played in the last T20 World Cup in 2023. Do you think a few domestic tournaments, like the Women's DPL and NCL, are enough to produce ample players for the national team?

HT: The BCB has taken a very good initiative by starting a T20 tournament and also two-day cricket. We need to make these tournaments more challenging for our players and more competitive. I see a lot of talented players, but they need a proper pathway to represent the country.

DS: Having worked with Sri Lanka, how do you compare women's cricket in both nations?

HT: Sri Lanka has come a long way in women's cricket… It's the same here -- our girls are coming through nicely. The path is there, and I'm sure it's the right time to get ROI (return on investment).