Ireland tri-nation is important as ODI rankings are concerned
Sports Reporter
Bangladesh one-day captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza on Tuesday said that they want to go into ICC Champions Trophy 2017 in England with winning mode from the tri-nation series in Ireland.
The captain also said that they have kept the thought of rankings in their mind as the eight teams will directly get the passport for the next World Cup.
Tigers are scheduled to take off for the long tour in the early hours of Thursday. They will hold a 10-day preconditioning camp in Sussex before heading for
Ireland to play the triangular series since May 10-24.
I dont know who and what other thinks about the tri-nation series. But we will play in order to win the series, said Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, who recently retired from Twenty20 cricket in the midst of Sri Lanka tour. There are many more things for calculation. And if we could win the series in Ireland, then there will be chances for them to do well in the next Champions Trophy. And if we could not win the tri-nation series, the heavy pressure will then be come over us, Mashrafe told reporters at the pre-tour press briefing at the Media Block of the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium yesterday.
I personally think that if we could not be ready mentally, it will then be really difficult, he added.
Along with Bangladesh and Ireland, New Zealand is the third team to play the tri-nation tournament. New Zealand dropped some of their key players including Kane Williams from the series. On the other hand, Bangladesh will field their full-fledged squad in the meet.
When asked if Bangladesh are considered as the pre-tournament favourite in the series, Mashrafe defying the question, stating that there is no question of favourite as the series has no final.
There is no final in the Ireland series. So, there is no question about favourite team. We have to play match by match because we have four games there. All are very important especially it is important for rankings at the same time, it is important for the preparation for Champions Trophy, the 32-year-old paceman said.
These are international matches. So if we could win the match then our confidence will be increased. In this way, I see the series, he also said.
Which team will play directly in the World Cup-2019 to be held in England what will be defined this year in September 30. New Zealand are now third on ICC one-day rakings with 113 points, in where Bangladesh lie on eight with 92 points and Ireland 12th with 42 points.
But if the hosts England are in the eight teams within the given period, in that case, other two teams have to progress through qualifying round.
