Bangladesh have already declared their ambition of finishing champion and Soumya Sarkar is of the opinion that this can be achieved through their batting efforts
Opening batsman Soumya Sarkar believes Bangladesh’s batting will create the difference against the opponents in the group phase of the Asia Cup.
Two-time finalist Bangladesh in Group B have Sri Lanka and Afghanistan as the competitors. The two teams in the group will move to the Super Four round and play against all the opponents in accordance with the league system.
The top two finishers in the Super Four league will play the final on September 28. The curtain of the six-nation tournament will rise with Bangladesh taking on Sri Lanka at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on September 15.
Bangladesh have already declared their ambition of finishing champion and Soumya is of the opinion that this can be achieved through their batting efforts.
“I will keep Bangladesh as the best team with the bat in the group. I think our batting is better than the two other teams (Afghanistan and Sri Lanka) in the group, given the way we have played cricket recently,” said Soumya in the sideline of the national training camp at Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka Wednesday.
Soumya justifying his claim explained, “We now know how to approach in ODI cricket. The seniors are regularly performing while the juniors are trying best to contribute. Comparing the strength of the two opponents in the group and the way we have been playing, I will keep us at the top.”
Left-handed batsman Soumya’s assertion however, can be countered by many, bearing in mind Bangladesh’s recent struggles against the Afghanistan bowlers.
The Tigers, in their maiden bilateral series against Afghanistan, conceded a 3-0 whitewash in the T20I series, held in Dehradun, India in June this year. The Bangladesh batsmen had struggled mainly against the Afghan spinners, with No 1 T20I bowler Rashid Khan leading the attack, followed by all-rounder Mohammad Nabi.
Four among the five highest wicket-takers in the series were Afghans. Soumya though said the Asia Cup is a different ball-game altogether.
“The last time we played them was in T20Is and now it will be ODIs. You have to play for scoring runs in T20Is, let the bowler be a spinner or a pacer. And you will lose wicket when you are playing for runs – you will succeed some day and someday you will not,” Soumya said.
“Fifty-over cricket is a different ball-game. Here, you get to watch the bowler and take your time, which is not possible in T20Is. At the same time, we have also worked on the lackings which we had, we spoke to the head coach (Steve Rhodes). So overall, we are expecting to break their spinners, and be successful against them,” he concluded.
Source: Dhaka Tribune.