Bangladesh Tri-Series: Heath Streak unfazed with the tag of underdogs

Team Zimbabwe head coach Heath Streak is very focused in seeing his side do well in the upcoming tri-series in Bangladesh. Streak, the former Zimbabwean cricketer, is no alien to the Bangladeshi conditions. Ahead of the series, Streak has oozed confidence about the players who would step up for Zimbabwe in the series. The first match of the series will be played on January 15 at Dhaka.

As per the recent quotes in ESPNcricinfo, Heath Streak remarked that the tag of being the underdogs does not bother him much. Also, he feels that the ODI series win against Sri Lanka last year will give the team a lot of confidence going in to the series. However, he cited that the Zimbabwean team has played fewer ODIs than Sri Lanka since the two sides last met. In fact, Zimbabwe have not played any ODI since then but have played a lot of Test cricket.

“I think we still have a long way to go. We are the underdogs in this series. But I still feel that we have got the quality of players we need to take Zimbabwe cricket forward. We showed against Sri Lanka last year that we can compete against other countries outside our home territory. It was very pleasing but we have a long way to go as a team,” quoted Heath Streak.

“[The Sri Lanka ODI series win] will give us the belief and the confidence to compete. We haven’t played a lot of one-day cricket of late. We have played more Tests while SL have played 13 ODIs since we last played them. We haven’t played any. We have prepared well and hopefully we can get into the series as quickly as possible and then get some good results early on. I feel we have the players with the skills, and give them Sri Lanka and Bangladesh a good challenge. I know our team is capable of winning,” Streak remarked.

On the Bangladeshi conditions

Speaking about the conditions in Bangladesh, Heath Streak pointed out that a lot of players from Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe have played in the country in the BPL. Hence, the conditions will not be totally new for them when they arrive in to the series-proper.

Moreover, during his association with Bangladesh side, Streak had worked with Chandika Hathurusingha, the former Bangladesh coach who is now the coach of the Sri Lanka side. In essence, it will be a reunion of sorts and the brains in the tri-series. Streak is looking forward to the challenge now.

“We know the conditions and players, so does Chandika [Hathurusingha]. I think a lot of these Sri Lankan and Zimbabwean guys play in the BPL. There aren’t many secrets out there anymore. It is about coming up with good plans and technical advice for the teams and making sure you execute those skills well,” conceded the former Zimbabwean cricketer.

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