The four-match Twenty20 international series against Zimbabwe was a platform for Bangladesh to experiment with a number of combinations. That is why may be the series ending 2-2, despite the Tigers taking a 2-0 lead, is not causing sleepless nights.
Sources close to the national side yesterday informed that all the cricketers are in fine mood and looking forward to the training camp that starts today at Khulna’s Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium.
The Bangladesh think tank is in no mood to waste any time, given that marquee tournaments like the Asia Cup T20 and the ICC World T20 are right around the corner. The camp is the reason why the ongoing fourth edition of the Bangladesh Cricket League longer-version was suspended for a month.
A few members however, have gone on leave while others joined the team yesterday. At least six members, including opening batsman Tamim Iqbal, will be on leave for the next couple of days. Tamim yesterday caught a flight to Thailand to attend to his wife who is expecting a baby soon.
The four T20Is saw Bangladesh introduce six debutants in the shortest format. Wicketkeeper-batsman Nurul Hasan Sohan and all-rounder Shuvagata Hom made their international bow in the first T20I.
And having won the first two matches convincingly the Tigers took the opportunity to experiment further and do the unthinkable; introduce four debutants in the third game of the series - star pacer from the Bangladesh Premier League Abu Haider Rony, middle-order batsman Mosaddek Hossain, seamer-allrounder Muktar Ali and pacer Mohammad Shahid.
The fourth game, which was a series-decider for the Tigers, again saw changes, this time accommodating experienced players in the starting XI but the momentum was with Zimbabwe and thus the series ended 2-2. Among the newbies, Sohan was the most highlighted. He was decent behind the stumps replacing prominent keeper Mushfiqur Rahim while with the bat, he scored 52 runs in four games, including a highest of an unbeaten 30 in the second game.
The experiments might have cost the Tigers the series but it is understood head coach Chandika Hathurusingha is fine with it. Following the second win in the series, there were discussions among the think tank as to what to do next. The selectors had wanted to first win the series and go for experiments if there is room. But the head coach is said to have preferred full-on experimentation and didn’t mind losing the series. This had irked a few but then again, the decision was already made.
However, putting aside all the pending issues, the full focus is on the forthcoming multi-nation events. The Tigers’ first assignment will be the Asia Cup T20 which begins on February 24 in Dhaka followed by the World Twenty20 in India in March.
