Dubai 22nd August : The newly appointed Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan has stated that he does not expect miracles from his team during the Asia Cup, commencing here on August 27, and adding that the goal is to be well prepared to play in the ICC T20 World Cup in Australia in two months’ time.Bangladesh will take part in the Asia Cup on the back of an inexperienced run in the shorter form of the match with Shakib given another chance to lead the team following Mahmudullah’s three-year reign ended earlier in the year.
Shakib’s team is in Group B with Afghanistan as well as Sri Lanka in the six-team tournament.The all-rounder has kept his expectations down for the continental tournament.
“I do not have any goals.My sole goal is to ensure that we be successful in the T20 World Cup and these are the preparations for it,” Shakib was quoted by ICC.”If you think that I can make changes in a matter of a few days or that somebody else will change it, then we’re living in the realm of fools.
“If you can think in a practical way, our growth will be apparent when the team actually performs very well in the World Cup in three months from now,” said the 35-year-old
Bangladesh have only won two 20-over games in the last T20 World Cup in Oman and the UAE and their most recent win in the shorter format of the game was 12 months ago when they faced New Zealand at home.
And , while Bangladesh haven’t had a chance to win the Asia Cup, they have been runners-up three times at the tournament in 2012, 2016,, and in 2018 with Shakib playing in each of the three occasions.
The veteran isn’t looking for the same miracles this time and said patience is the key for younger players.
“See that we first played this kind of variant (format) in 2006.Since then, we’ve not had a great time including the Asia Cup final.
We are way further behind in this version at this point, so we are forced to start over.When a baby first starts walking (the first) steps are difficult, but eventually things get more comfortable and I’m hoping that we’ll also be able to walk step-by-step as a baby and proceed.”
Bangladesh will play their opening game of the Asia Cup against Afghanistan in Sharjah on August 30, before taking the field against Sri Lanka in Dubai on September 1.
Bangladesh squad: Shakib Al Hasan (c), Anamul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Afif Hossain, Mosaddek Hossain, Mahmudullah, Mahedi Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Hasan Mahmud, Mustafizur Rahman, Nasum Ahmed, Sabbir Rahman, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Ebadot Hossain, Parvez Hossain Emon, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Taskin Ahmed.
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