(From L-R): Ireland captain William Porterfield, West Indies captain Jason Holder and Bangladesh captain Mashrafee bin Murtaza pose with the tri-nation ODI series trophy in Dublin, Ireland on Saturday. — BCB photo
Bangladesh national cricket team will begin their Ireland tour today with a 50-over warm-up match against Ireland Wolves at the Hills Cricket Club in County Dublin.
The match is scheduled to start at 4:45pm Bangladesh Standard Time and it will be Bangladesh’s lone practice match before they go into the tri-nation series including hosts Ireland and West Indies.
The tri-nation series will kick-off on the same day when Ireland will take on West Indies at Clontarf Cricket Club, Dublin which will start at 3:35pm BST.
The Tigers will play their first match of the tournament on Tuesday, when they take on the Caribbean side at Clontarf Cricket Club Ground, Dublin.
On Saturday, the Tigers took part in a training session at Pembroke Cricket Club for the third consecutive day since arriving in Dublin on Thursday.
Chief national selector and team manager for Ireland series, Minhajul Abedin, expressed his satisfaction regarding the fitness of the players as all of the players were doing well in the practice sessions.
Pacer duo – Rubel Hossain and Mustafizur Rahman, who were struggling with niggles, started bowling in the practice session, which was a good sign for Bangladesh team for not only the Ireland series but also for the forthcoming ICC World Cup in the United Kingdom.
‘All the bowlers bowled today [Saturday]. Those two [Rubel and Mustafiz] also bowled during the practice session,’ Minhajul said.
Minhajul believed doing well in the practice game will boost up their confidence ahead of the tri-series.
‘It is totally different from our country and we need to adapt at the shortest possible time because difference in weather and condition will surely have an impact on our cricketers,’ he said.
‘We know we need to make a positive start in the tri-nation. We have to take the confidence from the practice game by doing well. That will certainly boost our morale,’ he added.
Bangladesh will have to face a challenging task in the practice game as Ireland named a strong squad by including several players with international experience.
All-rounder Harry Tactor will lead Ireland Wolves in the practice match while middle-order batsman James Shannon and pacer Tyrone Kane make their return to the squad from injuries.
Andrew White, chair of Ireland national men’s selectors, believed it would be a good opportunity for them to look over their bench strength for future.
‘With the Wolves match against Bangladesh on at the same day as Ireland plays West Indies, this will provide the selectors what will be a rare opportunity to see 22 of the best Irish cricketers playing at the same time against world-class opposition,’ White was quoted in Cricket Ireland website.
‘Harry Tector will retain leadership of the Wolves side, after impressing with his captaincy in Sri Lanka and his stand-out performances in La Manga last week…..It’s also good to welcome James Shannon and Tyrone Kane back from injuries – both players will hopefully use the opportunity to get back into form after their lay-offs.
‘Selectors will be paying close attention to the Wolves game, and performances at this level may well see opportunities open up at a higher level during the season,’ he added.
Source: New Age.
