Last time Bangladesh played a Test match against New Zealand in Chittagong they had nearly won it. Daniel Vettori snatched the victory from the jaws of defeat for the Kiwis but the performance in that game gave the Tigers at least some confidence.
Five years after that epic contest, the Tigers still remained similarly confident, though a lot has changed including the ground, where Sakib al Hasan had flummoxed the Kiwis with almost every delivery.
The playing surface of the ground saw some massive renovations over the past few years, with a new drainage system, newly-laid grass and wickets giving it completely a fresh look.
Opening batsman and local boy Tamim Iqbal said that the fresh-look of the ground has brought a fresh hope for the Tigers, who can work on the weaknesses of the opponents now.
‘We know what their weaknesses are. Most of the times we haven’t taken advantage of the opposition’s weakness but here we are working on their weakness,’ Tamim told reporters in Chittagong on Monday.
‘We hope it will be a spinning wicket on which we can stifle them, like we did to them the last time.’
New Zealand are expected to be better prepared this time after their performances on the last two visits in Bangladesh have earned them a lot of criticism. Though they managed to avoid an embarrassing Test defeat in 2008, Bangladesh changed the cricketing landscape of the Kiwis two years later with 4-0 whitewash in a one-day series.
Sakib’s spin bowling in a low and slow surface in Dhaka played key role in Bangladesh’s 4-0 success and Tamim said it has become a psychological problem for the Kiwis which the home side should capitalise on.
‘When you talk about playing spin, you have to do it out in the middle,’ said Tamim. ‘You can practise and prepare all you want. We have to work on their mental block,’ added the left-hander, who missed the 2010 series for injury.
In 2010, Tamim had been given an access to the dressing room to join the party despite not being a part of the team. The left-hander said he is looking for a similar celebration, this time as a playing member of the side, and urged his team-mates to work hard to make it happen.
Tamim is more hopeful as New Zealand are without Vettori, the former captain, who caused a lot of trouble for the Bangladeshi batsmen in the past. While the Kiwis will miss their best bowler, Bangladesh will get back his services, which Tamim said can only make the home side stronger.
‘They have little experience in the sub-continent. They have bowled well elsewhere. We are doing our homework, and we will be well prepared,’ he said.
‘The better prepared side will have more chances to win the series. We are not less than them in terms of strength. If we can play to our potential, it is natural to think positively.
‘I am more hopeful about this Test series than the last ten Tests. It is our home ground, where we have started to push the visiting teams. Results recently have been very close.
‘We hope to turn those results in our favour. We know their weaknesses, so we will have to take advantage of it,’ said Tamim.
-With New Age input
