Bangladesh keen to show progress in T20
First match of series today
Sports Reporter
Bangladesh are keen to show their progress in the T20 format, putting aside their failure in the Test series and tri-nation tournament as they take on Sri Lanka in the first match today at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. The match starts at 5pm.
The hosts lost the tri-nation one-day tournament final to Sri Lanka before going down 1-0 in the two-Test series but hoped it could make a turnaround in the T20 series, starting on Thursday.
There was huge expectation on us during tri-nation and Test series but we couldnt live up to the expectation, said Bangladesh captain Mahmudullah who will lead the side in absence of Shakib Al Hasan, ruled out from the series with finger injury. They so far won 21 in the format, playing 69 matches and couldnt make an expected progress following the suit of the ODI cricket.
There is question mark on our ability in the T20 format. So the series is the opportunity for us to make a statement.
Mahmudullah stressed on to cut the dot ball percentage, a fact that troubled them in this format on most of the occasion.
The main reason of not playing T20 cricket well is that we failed to cut the dot ball percentage on most of the occasion. We have been practicing hard to fix the issue. Hopefully we can overcome it.
Sri Lanka captain Upul Tharanga however wants to end the tour on a high after winning the Test and tri-nation.
We have done well so far, in the one day tournament and the Test series also. We have the confidence, Tharanga said. Weve got new faces for the T20. Weve got good momentum. We want to carry that forward. Everyone is looking forward to it.
