Bangladesh are keen to continue to demonstrate their superiority without showing any mercy when they take on ICC Associate Member Hong Kong today to confirm their place in the ICC World Twenty20 Super 10 stage. A stumble against Hong Kong and a big Nepal win against Afghanistan could see the Tigers bounced from the competition on run-rate, as Nepal themselves thrashed Hong Kong by 80 runs in their opening match.
Having had a bad experience in the 2011 ICC World Cup, where they were eliminated on net run-rate after finishing level on points with the West Indies, the Tigers are unlikely to give an inch to the Hong Kong side.
Even in the recent Under-19 World Cup, the junior Tigers had to play in the second-tier Plate Championship bracket after losing out to Afghanistan on run-rate.
Bangladesh will approach the game with the mind-set of business as usual, and that was reflected in their practice session on Wednesday, a day after earning an eight-wicket win against Nepal on Tuesday. Hong Kong skipped their practice session.
‘I am happy, but never satisfied,’ coach Shane Jurgensen told reporters on Wednesday.
‘From my perspective, there is always an area to improve.’
’What’s really important is our attitude and our approach, and we need to keep that consistent.’
The Tigers could not make full use of the evening, as a sudden thunderstorm interrupted the session.
Pace bowler Mashrafee bin Murtaza will be rested for today’s match after sustaining another injury, though the coach said it was nothing serious.
‘Mash pulled up a bit sore in the first game and there might be an opportunity for Rubel [Hossain] to pop into the side,’ the Australian said.
Hong Kong skipper Jamie Atkinson said that his side, who lost to Afghanistan on Tuesday, wanted to end the tournament on a happy note by pulling one of the biggest upsets of ICC World Twenty20 2014.
‘It’s an opportunity for Hong Kong to try and take their biggest scalp; it would be the biggest win in Hong Kong’s history, probably one of the biggest shocks in World Cup [history],’ said Atkinson.
‘That’s what will be driving the team forward in the hope that we can make history and potentially beat Bangladesh.’
Bangladesh and Hong Kong have played once before, in the 2004 Asia Cup. The Tigers won that match by 116 runs.
-With New Age input
