Bangladesh ODI captain Tamim Iqbal thinks the tour of New Zealand will be tough but not impossible to produce good results. Left-handed batsman Tamim expressed his confidence of picking Bangladesh’s first win on a tour of New Zealand. Bangladesh till date has played 26 international matches against New Zealand in a bilateral across all formats in New Zealand and have never won one.
Bangladesh ODI and T20I team left Dhaka on Tuesday for a more than a month long tour of New Zealand. Bangladesh in their first tour since the Covid-19 pandemic will play three ODIs and as many T20Is. Bangladesh are touring New Zealand without their ace all-rounder Shakib al Hasan as the cricketer is on leave to attend his wife expecting their third child in US.
“We all know that condition in New Zealand is not easy for us but it is not impossible (to produce good result). We aim to achieve what we have not been able to do in New Zealand so far. We are hopeful,” said Tamim to the media at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Tuesday.
The last time Bangladesh visited New Zealand, the tourists had to return without completing the series following the deadly terrorist attack at a Christchurch mosque. Two consecutive mass shootings occurred at mosques in Christchurch during Friday Prayer on March15, 2019. The attack, carried out by a single gunman, who entered both mosques, began at Al Noor Mosque in the suburb of Riccarton and continued at Linwood Islamic Centre and killed 51 people and injured 40.
Bangladesh national team cricketers touring Christchurch on the day were set to pray at Al Noor Mosque but luckily they were a bit delayed and the massacre took place before their arrival. The series was called off with the last game of the three-match Test series getting abandoned.
Bangladesh in the tour were whitewashed in the three-match ODI series and had lost the first two Tests. Bangladesh have played against hosts New Zealand in nine Tests, 13 ODIs and four T20Is so far.
Bangladesh left-handed batsman Soumya Sarkar echoed similar sentiment to his captain saying, “Of course something good will happen. I hope everyone will perform there for the mental and physical preparation that we have been in for the series.”
“We will look to break that (losing record) and return home. The team played well against West Indies in ODI series so that will surely help us against New Zealand,” Soumya added.
Bangladesh team upon reaching Christchurch will be under strict room quarantine for the first seven days. From day eight the team, divided in five groups of seven members each, will be allowed to use the practice facilities. From day 15 the touring Bangladesh will be allowed to work as a unit and mix with local people.
