Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal is seen during a training session at the Sher-e-Bangla National stadium in Mirpur on Wednesday. — Sourav Lasker
Bangladesh stalwart Tamim Iqbal on Wednesday emphasised on rotating the players in the upcoming tri-series in Ireland to keep them fresh and injury free for the lengthy ICC World Cup campaign in the UK.
To prepare better for their forthcoming World Cup in English conditions, Bangladesh team will leave for Ireland on May 1 to take part in a tri-nation series against the hosts and West Indies starting on May 5.
Bangladesh will play two matches against both the teams and could feature in the final upon qualification.
Bangladesh will then head to England to take part in the World Cup where they will play at least nine matches and a semi-final qualification could bump that number even higher.
Playing this many matches in a two month period is bound to be a challenge for Bangladesh, especially considering that many of Bangladesh’s mainstays are carrying niggles and some have been proven to be injury prone.
Tamim felt that rotating the squad in the tri-series will be the key to keep all the players charged up and ready to take the field in the grandest event.
‘We will have to play 13-14 matches in space of one-and-a-half month. This is the only negative point. I don’t see any other negatives,’ Tamim told reporters when asked about his view on the Ireland tri-series at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.
‘I feel that the key will be to rest people as per their requirement. Because, we all know that during the World Cup we cannot afford to rest players. So, in Ireland it will be very important.
‘We will play five matches there, so changing the playing XI in every one-two matches to keep everyone fresh will be very important,’ said the 30-year old batsman.
The left-hander further felt that the tri-series won’t be an easy challenge, as Bangladesh have played only four ODI matches in Irish conditions before and West Indies will also be a tough team to beat.
‘I feel that the condition would be a challenge. Ireland is a country where we haven’t played a lot. The last time we played there, the wicket wasn’t too easy to play… How we begin in the first match will be very important.
‘We have another opponent there, West Indies, who are in very good form. So it’s important to start the tour well, with the practice game and then the first game,’ he said.
Bangladesh’ World Cup-bound players are currently in preparation for their two month sojourn to UK, and Tamim felt that the hard work done in scorching Bangladesh conditions will make preparation in England much easier for the side.
‘I think that we are doing the hard work here. It’s very challenging to run, bat, field and go to gym in the current weather. The work we are putting in here, when we go into that weather, I feel that at least fitness-wise it will help us,’ he added.
Source: New Age.