Akram Khan, former skipper of Bangladesh, said that the third and last match of the three-match ODI series will not be easier for the home team like the previous matches to sweep the series 3-0.
“Cricket is a game of uncertainty. Anything can happen. India is one of the stronger sides of the world.
They will try to play correcting their past mistakes to win the third match. I think, it will be tough for us to beat them in the last match of the series,” Akram Khan told The Independent over phone.
“We are out to make it 3-0. For it, we have to get down in the field and try and maintain the momentum,” Akram said yesterday.
The former skipper said they are an impressive side in ODI cricket and can beat any team of the world with their current brand of cricket.
“Since the home series against Zimbabwe in the last quarter of 2014, Bangladesh have been performing very well. Barring 2014, the team actually has been doing well for the last four years,” said Akram, who is now director of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).
“The year 2014 was eventful for the Tigers when the bulk of the key performers were either on the injury list or suspended. Thereafter, they have been improving with each passing day. Before and after the World Cup Down Under, they whitewashed Zimbabwe and Pakistan,” the BCB director said.
“Now, we can throw a challenge and beat any team in the world,” he asserted.
He specially mentioned the name of Mustafizur Rahman, who displayed his magic with the ball, helping the team win the historic series, baffling the world's best batting line-up with his delicate off-cutters. The former skipper said they have done well in all the departments, but Mustafizur showed an amazing performance for the team’s success.
“We are batting and bowling well. Mustafizur really performed extraordinarily. Fielding has also been good. Actually, we did well in all the departments compared to the Indian side,” Akram, who is now chairman of the BCB tournament committee, said.
Bangladesh leads the series 2-0 with their sparkling performance. They won the series with one match to spare by six wickets, after winning the opener by 79 runs at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. The home side will face India in the tour’s last match, to be held at the same venue on June 24. Sporadic rain has been forecast by the weather office.
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Editor : M. Shamsur Rahman
Published by the Editor on behalf of Independent Publications Limited at Media Printers, 446/H, Tejgaon I/A, Dhaka-1215.
Editorial, News & Commercial Offices : Beximco Media Complex, 149-150 Tejgaon I/A, Dhaka-1208, Bangladesh. GPO Box No. 934, Dhaka-1000.
Editor : M. Shamsur Rahman
Published by the Editor on behalf of Independent Publications Limited at Media Printers, 446/H, Tejgaon I/A, Dhaka-1215.
Editorial, News & Commercial Offices : Beximco Media Complex, 149-150 Tejgaon I/A, Dhaka-1208, Bangladesh. GPO Box No. 934, Dhaka-1000.