The countdown started to watch the Tigers’ showdown in the ICC Cricket World Cup, right after the Netherlands’ moving into the Super 12.
The Dutch will be the Tigers’ first opponents in their opening encounter when they will embark on their campaign on October 24 when the ICC Cricket World Cup 2022 will get underway from two days earlier (October 22).
No doubt about it that having Netherlands in the opening match is better option for Bangladesh to make a winning start.
Namibia, despite the favourites of the day, went down by seven runs in a nerve shattering do or die match, which was also the group decider to qualify for Super 12.
It was a bit uncertain whether Namibia or UAE would be the winners in their Group A last qualifying match to join with Sri Lanka on their way to Super 12 and the Tiger’s had to wait for the results.
However, it could be something a plus point for the Tigers having Netherlands in their opening match rather than Sri Lanka, as Lankan would be tougher opponents.
Might be Tigers have been going through a tough time for a long suffering defeats in a row in so many matches, but clearly they will start their World Cup campaign against Netherlands as favouirtes.
Though the Tigers went down to Afghanistan in back to back matches in the Asia Cup and in the World Cup warm up match, no doubt Bangladesh was not underdog against the Afghan.
If Netherlands would win the match it would be an upset but the Tigers’ triumph will be an expected result.
Now the question is that how the Tigers get prepared mentally and physically to take on the Netherlands, as in all respects of cricketing ability and experiences, Tigers are ahead of the Dutch.
It’s a common practice to convey honour to every opponents, as any team, at any time can make a huge upset, but it doesn’t happen always, favorites win the maximum encounters. So, in this respect, Bangladesh is favorites and Tigers have the best possibility to win the match.
There are so many critics with the Tigers’ performances of recent times, in fact almost one year their winning graph is very much low but they have every ability to bounce back against any of the teams.
Meanwhile, the specialized director of the Bangladesh team Sridharan Sriram in a press meet on Thursday at the Allan Border Stadium, Brisbane when talking to the media was very much optimistic.
The Indian specialist explained his opinion – We “If possible keen to win all five matches. Every team plays to win.”
Sriram, who is very much sensible and of course concerned about the players’ application, mental strength and overall their attitude said, “We would have to be realistic. Boys would have to get rid of the mistakes, sometimes silly slip-up, concentrate much in their application.”