The Bangladeshi cricketers refused to press the panic button before taking on Zimbabwe in the do-or-die third one-day international today at Bulawayo as the three-match one-day series is all-square at 1-1.
The tourists went 1-0 up after the first game with a crushing 121-run win before the home side crawled back to level the series with a six-wicket win to keep the series alive.The convincing manner of Zimbabwe’s victory shook Bangladesh’s confidence, putting them in danger of losing their second successive series to Zimbabwe but the just-concluded Test series and recent history are encouraging the Tigers.
Bangladesh were at the receiving end of a heavy defeat in the first Test at Harare but they came back strong in the second Test to level the series.
Earlier in 2009, Bangladesh lost their first one-dayer of the five-match series to Zimbabwe before going on to win the series 4-1.
Sakib al Hasan, Bangladesh’s interim captain back then in the 2009 visit, reminded his teammates about the history and said there is no need to be panicked despite a crushing defeat in the second ODI three days ago.
‘I think they (Zimbabwe) have undergone good preparations. [But] apart from the last tour, we have played well against them. We won 4-1 despite losing the first game,’ said Sakib.
Sakib is confident that the tourists can regain their momentum and clinch the series if every cricketer in the team plays to their potential.
‘Everyone knows about their responsibility and if everyone fills that, we can win the series,’ Sakib told reporters in Bulawayo.
The ace all-rounder played down the significance of the toss saying it is not as crucial as it may have seemed.
‘The wicket did not change. The toss is important but losing it won’t be the end of the world,’ he said.
‘If we can score 270-odd, like the first one day, then we have a chance,’ added Sakib.
Sakib felt that the batsmen needed to take up the responsibility more than anyone else if they were to be victorious.
‘The batsmen need to take the responsibility. If the batsmen can stay till the 40th over then we can score more than 80 in the last 10 overs, like we have done in the last two one-dayers,’ said Sakib.
-With New Age input
