As the first batch of the players left country for Sydney yesterday for a preparation camp for the upcoming New Zealand tour, the question came to the fore how Bangladesh would fare in the overseas condition.
The last two years was a renaissance for Bangladesh but that huge success came at home condition as they utilised it to good effect to establish them as ‘unparalleled’ at own yard.
While Bangladesh have been hugely improved side, the critics however time and again said they need to show their mettle at overseas condition and only then they could claim them as well established side. So the New Zealand series would be an acid test for them to stop the mouth of critics. But in a condition where most of the visiting sides found them in wanting, how Bangladesh could fare well. Lately Pakistan was whitewashed in its New Zealand tour, giving Bangladesh an ominous sign.
Bangladesh’s performance in the overseas condition remains troublesome still and when it comes to the performance in New Zealand it looked horrible. They haven’t won any match there and lost emphatically all matches there though they have whitewashed twice New Zealand in ODI series at home. In the last World Cup in 2015, Bangladesh also lost to New Zealand. But their performance Down Under was excellent what basically gave them a booster to fare better in this tour what would be their third visit in New Zealand.
“It’s new challenge for us. But we played well in the last World Cup in New Zealand soil. We can’t beat them but we won a match there against Scotland,” Bangladesh Test skipper Mushfiqur Rahim told the reporters yesterday.
“After proving our mettle at home condition, our target is to play consistently well in the overseas condition. And the journey will begin from New Zealand. Hope the players would come up with their best.”