Bangladesh coach Richard Pybus is confident that the national cricket team is shaping up well ahead of the ICC World Twenty20 as the players are more or less settled in the side with several T20 matches under their belt after their tour of Europe.
‘What is important for us is that we have got a core group of people to work with as the side is quite settled now,’ Pybus told reporters after the first practice session of the Tigers on Sunday.
‘I don’t see any major changes in the team when we go forward to Trinidad and the World Cup,’ Pybus.
Pybus was happy with the result in Europe where Bangladesh after thrashing Ireland by 3-0 margin was shocked by Scotland and Holland in two of the last three matches of the tour.
‘I am reasonably satisfied with the progress that we have made. We have won four out of six games that we have played,’ said Pybus.
‘We had a 48 hour turn around and we were to play in a very slow and low wicket in Holland. That was specifically a challenge in itself as international players would not often play in that condition.
‘We didn’t play the way we would have liked, but it was important for us to get that experience and get to the ground after winning the Ireland series and have our focus brought back to the fact that we are still a growing, emerging cricketing nation,’ he said philosophically.
But more than anything else it was the attitude of the players that impressed the South African most as everyone tried to take up the challenge despite facing trying condition.
‘I am very happy with the attitude especially in Ireland where it was not that easy for the touring side as there was rain and the wicket was damp. There were limited tour facilities but the
guys got into it, they did a lot of fielding work and conditioning.
‘From my side I was very happy with that and the guys were supporting each other and were looking for opportunity and that was a really positive mindset because on that you build up a good team,’ he added.
Pybus was also satisfied to see the way former skipper Mashrafee bin Murtaza performed in the tour after getting a slow start.
‘He was a quality cricketer and he was battling a little bit and then he turned around with wonderful performances. He was a little bit slow initially, but eventually got into the rhythm and showed the attitude and mindset that distinguish him as a cricketer in Bangladesh,’ said Pybus.
The coach was also confident that Sakib al Hasan would return to cricket in due time as his injury is not that severe. ‘I chatted with him and he was reasonably happy with the progress he is making.
‘He is rehabbing with the physio and the conditioning coach. We are just going to build him up gradually before bringing him back to play cricket,’ he added.
Rain poured in all morning and the 15 national players, out of the 19-member squad, had to be content at the Mirpur indoor as they completed the first day of their preparation camp.
Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim, Nasir Hossain and Tamim Iqbal are playing in the Sri Lankan Premier League while Mohammad Ashraful is fulfilling his County commitments.
-With New Age input
