Weather reason for poor rating of Mirpur outfield
BCB gives reply to ICCs comment on SBNCS
Sports Reporter
Even though South Africas recent form wasnt so encouraging and they will be without some of their key players in the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh, Mushfiqur Rahim rated the Proteas a always dangerous outfit given their ability to comeback sharply from any dire strait.
South Africa has lost their recent series against England by 3-1 and to compound the problem, they will be without the players like Dale Steyn, Vernon Philandar, AB de Villiers and that unarguably would cut short their strength.
The cricket experts saw an opportunity for Bangladesh to throw a stiff challenge to the South Africa, exploiting the hosts vulnerable state even though Bangladesh never avoided even an innings defeat in South Africa soil.
Although he rated South Africa a dangerous side, Mushfiqur Rahim, the Test captain of Bangladesh believed his side is able to change the history given their form and performance of late.
South Africa has always been a dangerous side. They are able to bounce back from any dire strait, Mushfiqur said yesterday while talking to the South African media at Benoni.
You know every team is dangerous at their own den and get some advantage. So England also got some advantage at their den and beat South Africa which were without some of their key players. But that doesnt mean, South Africa will be easier to beat. They are still a fine side and we have to come up with our best if we throw some challenge to them.
Mushfiqur Rahim said the series against South Africa would provide an idea how far they come as far as the Test cricket is concerned.
Its a tough condition always. Its a testing and challenging condition but we are confident to thrive in the condition. Our performance of late has been good. We have beaten team like England and Australia at our home. We have beaten Sri Lanka in away tour. Though we didnt win any match in New Zealand, we put up a lot of fight. The boys are confident to come up all guns blazing.
Mushfiqur Rahim and his side would get first glimpse of what is coming for them when they take on South African Invitation XI squad in the three-day practice game at the Willowmoore Park in Benoni from today.
The pitch is expected to be fast and bouncy unlike the Bangladeshi pitch, in which the ball keeps low and sometimes get extra bounce. In South Africa the ball will come in ribcage which will be challenging for the Bangladesh batsman. But the batsmen with proper technique like Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim have the chance to thrive in the condition. At the same time the blessing is that the bounce will be even which would help stroke maker like Soumya Sarkar, Sabbir Rahman to play some of the good innings.
However cope with the bounce will be key and the practice match will give them an opportunity to acclimatize.
South African Invitation XI Squad: Aiden Markram (c), Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Tladi Bokako, Matthew Breetzke, Okuhle Cele, Mathew Christensen, Isaac Dikgale, Zubayr Hamza, Migael Pretorius, Yaseen Valli, Shaun von Berg.
Bangladesh Squad: Mushfiqur Rahim (c wk), Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Soumya Sarkar, Sabbir Rahman, Mahmudullah, Mominul Haque, Mehidy Hasan, Liton Das, Mustafizur Rahman, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Subashis Roy.
