Bangladesh needs to find out players with different skills and mindset to bat at the positions of No 5, 6 and 7 in Twenty20 cricket, said Neil McKenzie.

Bangladesh batting consultant said Bangladesh have too many players for top-order batting but have not enough guys to bat at middle-order because it’s always needed a different skill and mindset to play at these batting positions in shorter format of the game.

The question came to the fore again when Bangladesh lost the Twenty20 series to Pakistan that drew a lot of flakes from all the quarters. It was being told from all sides why the team management and coach try the other batsmen up the batting-order keeping eligible batsmen in the middle.

Regarding the matter, South Africa coach said Russell Domingo as a new coach is trying to find out the best T20 combination by seeing at some different combinations.

“I think you have to look at the combination of whose playing. Russell as a new coach is trying to look at some different combinations,” Neil McKenzie said.

“I think at the moment we have too many batsmen that bat at one, two and three. If you look around the squad, they are quality players but they are all top order batters. It is a different skill to bat at No 4, 5 and 6. You are on nought and all of a sudden you are facing a quality spinner. It is a different mindset,” McKenzie told reporters in Mirpur yesterday.

“You have to know your game, try to rotate the strike and then go with your boundary options,” he added.

When asked about Tamim Iqbal, who couldn’t bat like Twenty20 Cricket, the batting consultant said they need to give him some more time because they all know what he can do and what he is capable of.

Citing his performance in the final of the last franchisee-based BPL, where he single-handedly made Comilla Victorians BPL champions, he also said that they are looking for a little bit more fearless batting from him.

“I think you have to cut him a little bit of slack. He has been one of Bangladesh’s best performers throughout the years. He is coming back from an injury and a few other things, so he is settling in. I think the positive thing for him is his runs under the belt,” he said.

“We all know what he can do, what he is capable of. You saw how he took it in the BPL final last year. I think we all want him to play more innings like that. He is probably one of Bangladesh’s most consistent players. We know how he can play but it’s also up to him to trust the guys around him. But, the guys around him have to be performing. When you have faith in the team and batting order, you can play a few more shots,” he also said.

“I’m glad to see him back. It seems he is in a good frame of mind. He has obviously got a 30 or 40-odd, and now a 60. Hopefully it is the confidence he needs to kick-start and gets him going, and turns those sixties into an eighty off 55 balls. He is an experienced player. He knows what he should be doing and how important he is for Bangladesh. It’s a process, but we’re looking for a little bit more fearless batting,” he added.