Soumya terms victory as morale booster ahead of ODI series

Bangladesh batsman Soumya Sarkar rated their comfortable victory against West Indies in the warm-up game, gunning down a big total as confidence-booster for the three-match ODI series, stating that this victory would help them get a mindset of how to chase a big total continuously.

West Indies, recovering from their miserable batting show in Test series, posted 331 for eight after opting to bat first but that was not enough as Tamim Iqbal and Soumya Sarkar fired the side home, racking up 314 for six in just 41 runs which eventually helped them achieve the victory by 51 runs as per D/L method.

Tamim Iqbal smashed a 73 ball-107, clobbering 13 fours and four sixes while Soumya was not out after playing 103 not out off 83, an innings studded with seven fours and six sixes.

“We have to keep up the consistency. If we can take the confidence from here, it would come as good for us,” said Soumya after the match. “It’s a pleasing matter to see that we scored 300 plus in just 41 overs, which is good and we were not bogged down by the massive target set up West Indies. If we can start such, 300 plus total is no matter.”

Soumya was also happy to see Tamim dominating the bowlers right from the start after coming to cricket following a long gap. He said Tamim’s stroke-play gave him the confidence.

“There was no sign that he was out of the ground for such a long time. He hit the ball well and was confident which gave me confidence also. Tamim’s start is always important for us.”

West Indies skipper Rovman Powel also reserved some praise for Tamim Iqbal who propped up in the game with a blazing hundred in a practice match that was his first competitive cricket after being injured during the Asia Cup in Dubai.

‘I think it was a pretty good innings. Getting hundred at any time and any wicket is really good. It was a pretty good innings from my stand point,” he said.

Despite getting a good batting pitch in the practice match, West Indies however are not taking anything granted as they believe that the pitch for the three-match ODI series will be spin-friendly like the Test series.

West Indies though lost the practice game by 51 runs as per D/L method against a high-profile BCB XI side, they could be satisfied with the fact that they ended up scoring 331.

But such good batting pitch looked making West Indies captain for ODI series Rovman Powell suspicious over Bangladesh’s strategy for the ODI pitch. However he maintained the idea that the pitch would be spin-favourable at the end.

‘Yes, the pitch was good. It’s a good one-day wicket. Bangladesh’s strength is spin but they put in a pretty good wicket just before the first game that’s something to think about,” Powell said after the practice game at BKSP on Thursday.

‘Definitely not,” he said when asked whether he expected a batting pitch in ODI series. “Just like the Test games, we believe that pitch will be spin here. But it was not spinning much. It was a good wicket.”

Powell said despite losing the game, they have some positive things to take from the game.

“I think it was a good game. Unfortunately we didn’t come up and was disappointed but we had a lot of positives to take before the first game.”

 

Soumya terms victory as morale booster ahead of ODI series

Bangladesh batsman Soumya Sarkar rated their comfortable victory against West Indies in the warm-up game, gunning down a big total as confidence-booster for the three-match ODI series, stating that this victory would help them get a mindset of how to chase a big total continuously. West Indies, recovering from their miserable batting show in Test series, posted 331 for eight after opting to bat first but that was not enough as Tamim Iqbal and Soumya Sarkar fired the side home, racking up 314 for six in just 41 runs which eventually helped them achieve the victory by 51 runs as per D/L method. Tamim Iqbal smashed a 73 ball-107, clobbering 13 fours and four sixes while Soumya was not out after playing 103 not out off 83, an innings studded with seven fours and six sixes. We have to keep up the consistency. If we can take the confidence from here, it would come as good for us, said Soumya after the match. Its a pleasing matter to see that we scored 300 plus in just 41 overs, which is good and we were not bogged down by the massive target set up West Indies. If we can start such, 300 plus total is no matter. Soumya was also happy to see Tamim dominating the bowlers right from the start after coming to cricket following a long gap. He said Tamims stroke-play gave him the confidence. There was no sign that he was out of the ground for such a long time. He hit the ball well and was confident which gave me confidence also. Tamims start is always important for us. West Indies skipper Rovman Powel also reserved some praise for Tamim Iqbal who propped up in the game with a blazing hundred in a practice match that was his first competitive cricket after being injured during the Asia Cup in Dubai. I think it was a pretty good innings. Getting hundred at any time and any wicket is really good. It was a pretty good innings from my stand point, he said. Despite getting a good batting pitch in the practice match, West Indies however are not taking anything granted as they believe that the pitch for the three-match ODI series will be spin-friendly like the Test series. West Indies though lost the practice game by 51 runs as per D/L method against a high-profile BCB XI side, they could be satisfied with the fact that they ended up scoring 331. But such good batting pitch looked making West Indies captain for ODI series Rovman Powell suspicious over Bangladeshs strategy for the ODI pitch. However he maintained the idea that the pitch would be spin-favourable at the end. Yes, the pitch was good. Its a good one-day wicket. Bangladeshs strength is spin but they put in a pretty good wicket just before the first game thats something to think about, Powell said after the practice game at BKSP on Thursday. Definitely not, he said when asked whether he expected a batting pitch in ODI series. Just like the Test games, we believe that pitch will be spin here. But it was not spinning much. It was a good wicket. Powell said despite losing the game, they have some positive things to take from the game. I think it was a good game. Unfortunately we didnt come up and was disappointed but we had a lot of positives to take before the first game.