Upbeat Tigers look to carry momentum
Conditions have been far from the norm at the Nassau County International Stadium, the venue for Bangladesh's second group game in the T20 World Cup against South Africa today.
Bangladesh players, who reached New York on Sunday, are breathing easy after a two-wicket win in their opening match against Sri Lanka and would look to carry momentum going into their last game in the USA. However, the Tigers have never beaten South Africa in the T20I format, having played eight matches, and there are big question marks on the conditions on offer.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. At a press conference ahead of their clash against Pakistan at the same venue where Bangladesh would take on South Africa, India skipper Rohit Sharma had commented about the unpredictability of the wickets at the venue and it would likely be a similar case for the Tigers.
"These wickets are challenging, even the curator was confused about how they will behave," Rohit had told reporters.
So far in the three World Cup games played there, Rohit was the only player to hit a half-century, against Ireland. The invariable bounce on offer was accompanied by swing and seam movement. Batters were getting hit by deliveries that rose sharply from a length too.
The outfield conditions also did not allow scoring opportunities as usually is seen in the T20I format and it led to the ICC making a statement on working hard to improve the conditions.
Tigers will definitely be taking notes from the high-voltage India-Pakistan game on Sunday before their game against the Proteas.
Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto had said that the Sri Lanka fixture was the most tense game of his career but winning a pressure game of that level would help the Tigers regain the belief in themselves, especially following dismal performances in their World Cup build-up series in which they lost to co-hosts USA in Houston.
The pressure was telling when Sri Lanka got off to a moderately good start and were carrying on with momentum. The Bangladesh bowling unit mustered the required skill and experience, and above all, the courage to hold Sri Lanka back.
The batting unit, however, stuttered as usual but the contributions of Liton Das, Towhid Hridoy, and Mahmudullah Riyad at the death allowed the team to get over the line in a very tight game.
"As we managed to win this game, everyone will have extra confidence. And if we can go into the second game with this confidence then it will help. I hope something good will happen in the second game," Shanto hoped.
Bangladesh have crossed the first hurdle of their World Cup campaign and a mental barrier has been crossed which would allow them to settle in against a superior South Africa.
Shanto, however, was not taking anything for granted after their plans came to fruition against the Lankans.
"We will have to come back with a new strategy [against South Africa]. There is no other way than to play good cricket. If the batters can contribute we will have something good," he said, knowing that batters would need to pull their socks up and be counted in another vital game.
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