Bangladesh women’s cricket team head coach Janak Champika Gamage sets his eye to improve his side’s ranking in the newly inducted ICC women’s rankings after his contract with the team is extended for one year. The women’s team is currently ranked ninth for ODI rankings, just above to the Ireland women’s team. Gamage said he would leave no stone unturned to motivate the cricketers to change the situation despite they showed a below par performance against Pakistan who is ranked seventh.
“When I took the charge of the team, I said my target is to improve the rankings. It is still unchanged. But for the time being the target is to help the team to qualify in the world T20,” Gamage told the reporters yesterday. With no cricket for the women’s team in the coming months, Gamage’s goal seemed to be ambitious but he remained unfazed.
“South African women’s team is supposed to come but it was postponed. However what I know that they may come at the end of this month. They have just delayed the tour by the mutual consent of the two boards,” the former Sri Lankan bowler who played in Dhaka domestic league said.
“If they come, it would be a great opportunity for us to show our mettle because what we have done in Pakistan, was not our original performance. The players could play far better than what they showed in Pakistan,” he added.
Bangladesh women’s team lost all of the matches in their dismal Pakistan tour where they got a high profile security.  Gamage held his senior players responsible for the disastrous performance stating that they should take the onus.
“Senior players should take more responsibility but they disappointed me. Their performance in the domestic league and practice match was good but they couldn’t show their mettle in Pakistan.”
“Pakistan’s bowling was not something that could terrorise us. Their left arm spinner was good but the pacers weren’t such good. Wicket was good to bat on but simply our girls couldn’t apply them. A couple of our news players played good cricket. As example, Nahid, she is only 16 years old. She took seven wickets in four matches. Wicket-keeper Joti also played well. If they can do well, why our seniors couldn’t make any impact,” he questioned.
The coach particularly was unhappy with skipper Salma Khatun, given she is the number one all-rounder in Twenty20.
“She has been playing for the country for long and number one all-rounder in T20. She needs to be more focused and responsible. But she plays some bad shots. Whatever in the last match, all of the players played bad shots. I am really disappointed with our batting.”
Gamage expressed his satisfaction over the security saying, “It was high class security. We didn’t feel that we are in abroad. It was home-like environment.”
However if South Africa women’s team doesn’t come at the end of the month, Gamage will request the board to send the team Thailand earlier than the scheduled time for playing some more practice matches for the World Cup qualifier.