‘Confident’ Tigers leave for SA today

The Bangladesh team will fly to South Africa today after over four years with hopes of finally conquering the Proteas in away conditions and carry on the positive momentum they have enjoyed so far in 2022.
The 15-man squad selected for the one-day international series will board a South Africa-bound flight in the evening at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.
After a disastrous end to 2021, the Tigers began this year with a historic first ever Test victory over New Zealand in New Zealand.
They then ensured a 2-1 ODI series win over Afghanistan at home followed by a 1-1 result in the two-match Twenty20 series against the same opponent.
The two-match Test series against the Kiwis in January had also ended 1-1 but the incredible win in the first Test was enough to label the tour as a resounding success.
The Tigers will have the chance to cross off another name from the list of teams they are yet to beat in away conditions when they face the Proteas later this month in three ODIs and two Tests.
The two teams have squared off a total of 19 times in South Africa across three formats but the hosts have always come out on top.
Taskin Ahmed, who took part in the historic Test win over the Black Caps and is included in both the ODI and Test squads for the South Africa series, acknowledges the magnitude of the challenge but believes that defeating the Tenda Bavuma-led team is possible.
‘Of course, it’s challenging. The New Zealand series was also challenging. But winning a Test there has boosted our confidence,’ Taskin told the media in Mirpur after a practice session on Thursday.
‘We won some tough matches at home against Afghanistan. Winning difficult matches have boosted our confidence. I believe that if we can play our best cricket, then it’s possible to win in South Africa too,’ he added.
The selectors had initially selected a 16-man squad for the 50-over matches but that number got reduced on Wednesday after the Bangladesh Cricket Board gave Shakib Al Hasan rest from all forms of cricket till April 30.
The last time Bangladesh toured South Africa, back in 2017, Shakib skipped the Test matches due to fatigue, the same reasoning he is using this time for missing the entire tour.
Shakib’s absence will reduce Bangladesh’s strength in both batting and bowling departments and the team will miss him in the tour, said Taskin.
‘We will miss him [Shakib] a lot. Shakib bhai always brings in an X factor. His presence would benefit any team. We will definitely miss him a lot.’
Bangladesh were without the ace all-rounder when they beat New Zealand earlier this year and they also didn’t have the services of Tamim Iqbal available to them in that tour, who will play in South Africa.
The series will begin with the 50-over matches, which will take place on March 18, 20 and 23.
The two-match Test series will begin on March 31 and the second and final Test will commence on April 8.