‘Winning is the ultimate target’

Only days remain before England national team arrive in Bangladesh for their upcoming One-Day International and Twenty20 International series as the current World Champions in both those formats will land in Dhaka on February 24.

Ahead of the series, the Tigers’ spin-bowling coach Rangana Herath said that their goal was to win, something Bangladesh is yet to do regarding bilateral series.

Since the 2015 World Cup, Bangladesh are unbeaten at home bar one series, which was against England in 2016, where the Tigers lost 2-1.

Bangladesh have played 21 ODIs against England and have won four out of them, with the last coming in that series in 2016. Since that win, the Tigers have lost all three ties against the English side.

In T20Is, the picture is almost non-existent as the two sides have locked horns only once in the format, which Bangladesh lost.

Ahead of the series, Herath was very clear about their goal.

“Obviously, playing against any other team, we are expecting to win, that is our ultimate target. But before you win, you need to follow the process, practice, how you plan, it should be done as soon as possible,” he told the media on Sunday.

Herath is currently conducting a camp with the Bangladesh Tigers at the National Academy Ground in Dhaka, where several spinners are working under his wing.

“We started yesterday. This is not kind of a selection camp. This is about sharing our knowledge. We are trying to have another session tomorrow. I am thinking about keeping these spin camps regularly. So that we can share that knowledge, each and everyone,” he said about the camp.

This series and the last one between the sides have a similarity as in both series, Chandika Hathurusinghe will don the Bangladesh kit. The Sri Lankan was recently re-appointed as the head coach of the Tigers after a six-year hiatus following his resignation from the role in 2017.

Upon his compatriot’s return, Herath said that they had discussed the plans for the England series.

“With Chandika, you know that he has been with Bangladesh cricket and he has done well in that period. I have experience playing with him as well as under him when he was a coach. I have very good, positive feedback about him as well as confidence about him that Bangladesh cricket will (get) help from him,” Herath said about the new Bangladesh head coach.

Bangladesh national team selectors brought in a change to their spin options from the India series as Taijul Islam was brought in instead of Nasum Ahmed.

The Bangladesh spin-bowling coach said that the change was because of Taijul’s performance in West Indies, where he picked up his maiden five-for in ODIs.

“I think he has done well against West Indies in the last series. In that case, I see Taijul as a bowler who can bowl in ODIs as well,” the Sri Lankan said.

Herath also heaped praise for Tanvir Islam, the highest wicket-taker of the recently-concluded Bangladesh Premier League.

“I am so glad to see him (Tanvir) because he has the most wickets in BPL. Keep producing, and keep getting spinners, which is very good for the system. Because if something happens to Taijul, something happens to Nasum, if something happens to even Shakib, there are players behind. So, I am happy that he is joining this session,” Herath said.