Bangladesh will play Ireland in a three-match T20 International series, continuing their “tactical aggressive” cricket for another victory.
Tomorrow (Monday) at Chattogram’s Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium is the start of the first encounter in the series. The game begins at 2 PM and will be broadcast live on T Sports Channel.
Bangladesh won six consecutive games after losing the first two of an ODI series against England for the first time since 2016 as a result. In their time, they decisively defeated England in a three-match T20 series after winning the final ODI against them to prevent an ODI sweep. They went on to win the ODI series against Ireland by a score of 2-0, but more significantly, they broke records in each match.
Bangladesh seemed to be entering a new era of cricket, especially based on the way they had been performing lately. However, according to head coach Chandika Hathurusingha, all of those things were made feasible by “tactical aggressive” cricket, which increased the desire for success among cricketers and contributed to the team’s professional performance.
“I don’t see this as a new era. That’s how we wanted to play our cricket going forward. We won’t play aggressive cricket. Aggressive cricket, as I explain, it doesn’t mean we go and hit hard further as we can,” Hathurusingha said.
“It’s aggressive in every sense of the word. Our selection (should be) aggressive field placing, our body language, our fielding, batting (Should be aggressive). Tactically we’re going to be aggressive. We want to play the best way we can. I think when we play like that– like with aggression and with freedom, this team will do well always.”
Psychological safety also brought out the best of the players to make them hungry for success, Hathurusingha clarified.
“One word I can sum up is psychological safety. it’s a big word. There are a lot of things in behind that like if you can create an environment where the players can do their best without worrying about outcomes, without worrying about repercussions. Not only coaches, not only selectors even from their peers, if they can be free of trying things and if they fail it’s still okay, but they also are the same players and we trust them,” he added.
Bangladesh is predicted to also win the T20 series given their recent success and their previous performance against Ireland. The last game in this format between the two teams was contested in 2016. The first T20 World Cup match between the two teams was won by Ireland in 2009 in England, but Bangladesh went on to completely destroy Ireland in a three-match series in 2012, also on Irish territory. Their final World Cup match in Dharmashala was postponed.
“We want the same result ideally. That’s what we talk about as well. We are going to do the same processes that are in place for us. If we do our process right, we are a very good team and that’s all we can ask from the players. And we’re trying to improve those processes every day,” Hathurusingha made his intention clear.
Bangladesh: Shakib Al Hasan (Captain), Liton Das, Rony Talukdar, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Rishad Hossain and Jaker Ali Anik
Ireland: Andrew Balbirnie (C), Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Graham Hume, Matthew Humphreys, Barry McCarthy, Conor Olphert, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White and Craig Young.
