For the first time in their history, Bangladesh will compete in the Super 8s of the T20 World Cup- a tournament, where they have historically struggled to secure victories, unlike their sporadic success in the 50-over World Cup, where they have occasionally been on the favorable end of thrilling matches and upsets. This sudden surge in performance, particularly following a series loss to co-hosts, the USA, just before the tournament commenced, seems almost unbelievable to everyone associated with Bangladesh cricket, especially the players. This newfound achievement likely instills an intensified desire to perform, as they now have a higher benchmark to uphold.
However, Bangladesh's head coach, Chandika Hathurusingha, was determined not to burden his team with heightened expectations as they prepare to face Australia in Antigua. He emphasized that their primary objective upon entering the tournament was to reach the Super 8s. Hathurusingha praised the team, particularly the bowling department, for effectively leveraging the conditions to their advantage. He expressed that the entire unit was elated to be among the seven teams in the Super 8s, viewing any further progress as a bonus. This perspective, he believed, would allow the team to play with utmost freedom. Additionally, Hathurusingha was optimistic that Bangladesh would present a formidable and resilient challenge.
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"When we came into the tournament, our first target was to get into this Super 8. So, I think we achieved that with great...what can I say, our bowlers kept us in the game? So, we played the conditions really well, used the conditions in our favour. So, going forward for us, being here, we're very happy to be here. And then anything from here for us is bonus. So, we play with a lot of freedom. And we are going to challenge all three teams the best we can," stated Hathurusingha to the reporters, as quoted by Cricbuzz.
Enjoyment factor is always at the forefront, but they've to do their role for the team: Hathurusingha
The 55-year-old emphasized that the essence of the game is to enjoy oneself while performing duties on the field. However, he was quick to clarify that playing with freedom doesn't imply deviating from assigned roles within the team. He advocated for a mature approach to handling game situations, asserting that while enjoying match scenarios should be at the forefront of their objectives, it was equally crucial that players fully adhere to their specific roles for the betterment of the team.
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"To enjoy. So that fact of enjoyment, we don't take it away from the players. That doesn't mean that they have free licenses to go and do whatever they want. They have a particular role to play in the team and to do that role is yes, they have freedom and then enjoyment always, whether we play for your country or club cricket or the park cricket...that's why we start playing this game. Enjoyment factor is always at the forefront, but they've to do their role for the team," added Hathurusingha.
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