DHAKA:  After a very successful and eventful tour to Sri Lanka, team tigers is getting warmed up for big challenges for proving a point that they are truly emerging as a super power in the big league. 

Throughout the rest of 2017, Bangladesh Cricket team will have an extremely busy schedule. In May and June, they play (New Zealand, Ireland and Bangladesh) a triangular series in Ireland. That will immediately be followed by ICC Champions Trophy where Bangladesh is placed in the group of death “Group A” alongside Australia, England and New Zealand. Returning home Bangladesh will find Pakistan for a complete series of test, ODI and T20. Then they will tour South Africa for another away series before hosting Australia in a home series. Needless mentioning that in such taxing and nerve wrecking schedule the team members will require extensive mental toughness and physical fitness apart from rising above controversies over silly matters.

Notwithstanding nationwide Mashrafe craze following his T20 international retirement in the controversial situation, potential team members are preparing in different ways at different places in different formats. Shakib and Mustafiz are away in India playing for their respective franchises Kolkata Knight Risers (KKR) and Sunrisers Hyderabad. Rest of the players is playing in Dhaka Premier League (DPL). All foreign members of the coaching staff are on holidays.

The triangular series and ICC Champions trophy are immediate and are almost knocking at the door. We can focus on the two. We are not sure whether letting the highly expensive foreign coaching staff on leave at this moment was at all justified. Playing in England especially in early winter is a huge challenge for the players from sub-continent. The coaching staff should have stayed with the players and work on individuals. They should have witnessed the DPL. It is reported that they will join the team in Sussex where the team will prepare for the encounters.

Tri Series:

ICC associate Ireland waiting to get full membership of ICC will host the triangular ODI series involving New Zealand and Bangladesh. It will be a very useful tournament for New Zealand and Bangladesh. It will also test the quality of Ireland as a growing associate team.

The weather conditions, wickets and environment in Ireland would not be much different to England in end May. It will extremely benefit New Zealand and Bangladesh adjusting to conditions. Ireland in home condition is also expected to provide a strong challenge to the visitors.

New Zealand will have top draws like Kane Williams, Corey Anderson, Tim Southee while Bangladesh will possess Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim and Mashrafe. The exciting youngsters like Mustafiz, Soumya and Taskin would be the top draws in the series. Home team Ireland may appear as a surprise package and must not be considered as a mere pushover in home condition. Three evenly matched teams are expected to produce mouth-watering contests.

Tri-Series Schedule

Friday May 12, 2017, 15:15 IST (09:45GMT)

Bangladesh Vs Ireland at Civil Service Cricket Club, Stormont, Belfast

Sunday May 14, 2017, 15:15 IST (09:45GMT)
New Zealand Vs Ireland at Civil Service Cricket Club, Stormont, Belfast

Wednesday May 17, 2017, 15:15 IST (09:45GMT)
New Zealand Vs Bangladesh at Civil Service Cricket Club, Stormont, Belfast

Friday May 19, 2017, 15:15 IST (09:45GMT)
Bangladesh Vs Ireland at Civil Service Cricket Club, Stormont, Belfast

Sunday May 21, 2017, 15:15 IST (09:45GMT)
New Zealand Vs Ireland at Civil Service Cricket Club, Stormont, Belfast

Sunday May 24, 2017, 15:15 IST (09:45GMT)
New Zealand Vs Bangladesh at Civil Service Cricket Club, Stormont, Belfast

ICC Champions Trophy

The ICC Champions Trophy is one of the most prestigious events in world cricket. This time the top 8 ranked ODI teams four years after the previous tournament held in 2013. At one stage, ICC wanted to scrap the tournament and instead replace it with test championship. But in January 2014 that decision was reversed. Eight top teams would now assemble in England in June 2017 for deciding who gets the top honor. In the previous tournament held in the same venue, India was successful in beating all the teams to lift the trophy.

The teams divided into two groups will play against each other a round robin tournament entering the second round of knock out stage to decide the winner. Australia and India in the past won twice each. This time each of the eight teams appears championship potential promising making the tournament a breathtaking event.

Bangladesh qualified for the tournament through its brilliant performance in ODI winning series against Pakistan, India and South Africa. The only major team missing out is West Indies who are now at number nine in ICC ODI ranking. The tournament is scheduled to be played from June 1 to 19. The ICC is still left to announce a detailed fixture of the trophy.

ICC Champions Trophy 2017 Groups

India and Pakistan have got placed in the same group. This will be the most popular match of the tournament and will be treated like the final. Australia and England are in the same group.

Group A: Australia, Bangladesh, England and New Zealand
Group B: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and South Africa

In ICC World Cup 2015 Bangladesh was also in the same group with hosts Australia and New Zealand along with Sri Lanka and England. Bangladesh qualified for the quarter-final beating England at Adelaide and winning against Scotland and Afghanistan. The team is much more experienced and confident now after drawing ODI series against England at home and Sri Lanka on tour.

Bangladesh selectors will announce the squad on April 19 after witnessing the performance of some fringe players in the ongoing DPL. A relatively large squad is expected to go to Sussex for preparatory camp.

Ball swings and seams in English condition in early summer. Batsmen not used to that condition suffers a lot in adjusting. Senior players like Tamim, Shakib, and Mushfique have past experience but it will be a great challenge for the new batsmen like Soumya, Mosaddek, and Sabbir in adjusting. Bangladesh must take at least two senior batsmen who can adjust quicker. Moreover, Bangladesh needs one or two players in the lower middle order who are power hitters like Andre Russel or Dhoni. 20-25 quick runs in the last couple of overs would make a lot of difference in close matches.

Bangladesh perhaps have a much better bowling attack now to suit English condition. Mustafiz is expected to be an instant success. He already had the taste of English cricket last year. Taskin, Rubel, Rabbi and Subashis also bowl well. Mashrafe with his control will enjoy the bowling condition as always. Finger spinners struggle gripping the ball in early winter. But Saqlain Mushtaq and Muttiah Muralitharan were very successful in English condition. For that, there is no reason why Mehedi Miraz cannot be. Shakib will thrive in all condition. But the key for Bangladesh will always be batting and fielding well.

Mashrafe retired from T20 under a controversial environment. There is an air of mistrust in team management. Though Mashrafe remains the captain still there must be all out efforts for reconciling. Hope a decent and knowledgeable person would be sent as team manager. Once a team is selected none but the coaching staff and the captain should interfere in the team operation. We hope a congenial atmosphere would be created enabling players feeling comfortable and contributing to the best of their ability in Triangular series and Championship Trophy.

BDST: 1221 HRS, APR 13, 2017
SR