Our best chance to win: Mominul

Bangladesh Test captain Mominul Haque feels the best chance to register their first-ever home win in the ICC World Test Championship is the Dhaka Test against Sri Lanka at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium starting today.

In the ongoing WTC cycle, which began in 2021, Bangladesh are drawn against Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and India at home, and New Zealand, South Africa, and West Indies away.

So far, Bangladesh lost both home Tests against Pakistan, and the last one against Sri Lanka at Chattogram ended in a stalemate. The next two WTC home matches will be against India later this year. Mominul feels that considering everything the second Test is the best chance to end the barren period at home.

“To me, there is always a chance wherever you play, that might be at Mirpur or away from home. The thing is how we assess the opportunities. However, it is true that considering the conditions, this is going to be a good chance for us,” Mominul said in the press conference ahead of the Test on Sunday.

Bangladesh will make two forced changes to their team from the Chattogram Test as Nayeem Hasan and Shoriful Islam are out with injuries. Mominul said that Mosaddek Hossain and Ebadot Hossain are likely replacements.

“Mosaddek will play a different role. I think we need to utilise him intelligently,” he said.

The track at the SBNCS generally favours the spinners, and Mominul is keeping his left-arm armada ready.

“Taijul has been good here for over a year. Shakib bhai also played a good role in the last tie. I am confident since Taijul and Shakib bhai are there. Hope everything will be fine,” said Mominul. Both the left-arm spin bowlers have a terrific record at Mirpur. Taijul has played 10 Tests here and has picked up 54 wickets. His best bowling in an innings, 8-39, also came on this ground. Shakib is also very successful at the SBNCS with 63 wickets.

Sri Lanka head coach Chris Silverwood said he has gone through the stats and will consider the facts while forming the team.

“We go through every ground’s statistics. We look at what results have been here before, and the make-up of the bowling attack and batting line-up. We consider history, and then we will pick our team,” he said in the pre-match press conference.

Sri Lanka are also set to make a couple of changes in the Dhaka Test as Kasun Rajitha, the concussion substitute, might start from the beginning, and Praveen Jayawickrama might get a chance ahead of Lasith Embuldeniya.