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Tigers to setup with long batting lineup


Published : 23 May 2019 05:50 PM | Updated : 07 Sep 2020 02:33 AM

In the tri-series final against West Indies Bangla­desh all rounder Mohammed Saifuddin came at number 9 to bat, Mashrafe came at 10. Saifuddin’s skill with the bat is exquisite, Mash­rafe is nothing less. That means except seamer Mustafizur Rahman, everyone in the Tigers starting eleven know how to bat. Coach Steve Rhodes hinted Bangladesh might field a similar starting lineup in the World Cup.

Before the World Cup, Bangladesh team joined a three-day camp in Leicester. The last day of the camp was on Wednesday. The team has now moved to Cardiff. Bangladesh’s World Cup mission will start there with two warm-up matches against Pakistan and India on May 26 and 28 respectively. Earlier, coach Steve Rhodes said players are now accustomed with the English weather. Now to win games, the team needs to post big totals or chase challenging totals.

The coach is confident on team's batsmen, to produce the goods. “The pitches here are very good, outfield is also very fast and it is very difficult to bowl, especially during the powerplay times. So we can also make big runs, it will not be surprising. For the last one year, we have been practicing a lot. Bangladesh is now a big team in the ODI’s. Hope we can keep our consistency in the World Cup as well,” said Rhodes.

A long batting lineup is pivotal to post or chase big runs. Saifuddin has done a great job in the death bowling recently, but now Bangladesh can get an extra batsman in him. Pace all-rounder Saifuddin is also the third seamer of the team. He earned himself a finisher role in the team, which Tigers craved for a long time.

“We are trying to play with a long batting lineup. We are trying our best to have only one bowler who is not very capable in batting. I think it will help to make big runs. When you have to chase a lot of runs, many wickets can fall in three or four overs at the end,” Rhodes added. The Bangladesh top order is performing very well. Middle order is also giving hope. Lower order didn’t face that much of a test, but collective performances bought relief for the coach. “Sabbir has the ability to score quickly. He could score a lot of runs in the last 10 overs. If we need 7 runs per over, he has the ability to understand that he has to finish the job. Same applies for Mahmudullah. You saw what Mosadek can do. Besides, we want Miraj, Mithun, Saifuddin to bat till the end.  They will play in five, six, seven or eight positions. Mashrafe can also hit as well.”