Tigers eye series amidst rain forecast

Bangladesh National Cricket Team will be hoping to put their three-match One-Day International series against Ireland in the pocket in the final match today after winning the first and the second being washed out due to rain.

While there is still a forecast of rain during the third ODI, the Tigers will hope that it stays away and allows them more preparation ahead of the World Cup later this year.

In the first two matches, Bangladesh batters had a really good time as in the first match they notched up 338-8, their highest-ever in ODIs, before breaking that record in the next match by putting 349-6 on board, with Mushfiqur Rahim achieved the quickest century by a Bangladeshi ever as he reached triple figure off just 60 balls.

Across the two matches, every one of the top and middle-order batters, except for skipper Tamim Iqbal, managed to score big and in the third match, Bangladesh will hope that their skipper’s run-drought ends with a

significant score.

However, the team’s performance, especially the intent displayed in batting, has drawn praise from all over the cricketing fraternity.

Many have credited this change to the returning head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe, and among them has been pace bowling coach Allan Donald.

“Hathu has been brilliant around the group and has expressed his freedom and I think they have sort of unshackled themselves and play aggressive cricket,” the South African told the media on Wednesday.

He added, “Hathurusinghe is an attacking and aggressive coach which is my style as well. He has come in and what he told the whole group was to take the game on, to not be afraid to win. That’s a great message. The best thing that could have happened in the two ODIs although the second one wasn’t completed is that the pitches we have seen are great preparations for where we are going in a couple of months' time. We take on Ireland in England and we are getting the same sort of wicket. It will not spin much so this is preparation for when we have points at stake.”

Bangladesh’s bowling attack has been brilliant too and their pace trifecta of Taskin Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain, and Mustafizur Rahman have all looked confident and have performed as a unit.

“It’s been a terrific performance collectively and we’ve been speaking about this pack mentality for a while. Great plaudits are going to the mindset of the group that we’ve adopted. All three had been very potent and asked questions in creating chances. Very happy to see that,” Donaldo said.

In the second ODI, Bangladesh did not get a chance to bowl and in the final match, if the weather allows, they might want to bowl first to test out their pacers in conditions suitable for seam bowling. If it does not happen, the Tigers would be pretty happy getting some time with the

bat again.

The Bangladesh XI is likely to be unchanged, especially with Afif Hossain and Shoriful Islam already discarded from the third ODI squad.

On the flip side, Ireland have the chance to level the series and take something from a series where they have, so far, been battered heavily and will aim to do exactly that.