Rejuvenated by a comprehensive victory in the first match, the spirited Tigers will try to seal the three-match series when they take on Ireland in the second T20 international at Stormont in Belfast today.
The match will start at 5pm local time (10pm Bangladesh Standard Time).
Mushfiqur Rahim’s men have displayed no deficiency in acclimatising to the conditions in the first match, thanks to their hundred percent record in the practice matches, as they dominated throughout the match to script a convincing 71-run victory.
The Tigers amassed their highest T20 score, after which the Irish batsmen found the two Bangladesh left-arm spinners Abdur Razzak and man-of-the-match Elias Sunny too tough to handle.
Tigers’ skipper Mushfiqur was delighted with the way they started the series, with the victory dispelling some of the doubts about performing in Irish conditions.
“We played very well in the first game, better than expected. Our performance was excellent in all departments. If we play like we did on Wednesday, I see no reason why we cannot win today’s game as well,” said Mushfiqur while talking to the reporters yesterday.
He also hinted that the team will remain unchanged and that Shakib will bat at number three as the best player should be given enough overs to bat, especially in a T20 match.
“Everybody are in a good mood after the victory in the first match and are confident of continuing their good form through the series,” told team manager Tanjeeb Ahsan Saad to the Daily Star Sport over telephone yesterday.
“The weather is cloudy today and there has been drizzling from the morning but still the boys completed two hours of practice. The good news is that there is no rain forecast for tomorrow (Friday),” said Saad, adding that the city mayor accorded a reception for the visitors yesterday.
Due to a lack of international matches Bangladesh are not even in the ICC T20 internationals rankings but the victory will help them to break into the top table.
But Ireland will be desperately looking for a much better performance in the second match of the series. Without any doubts the Bangladesh spinners pose a big threat at the same venue where the spinners got unexpected turn in the first match, according to Irish skipper William Porterfield.
“We did not expect the ball to turn as much as it did in that second innings. In hindsight, we would have gone in with more spinners. We are going to be on either a similar wicket, or the same wicket, for the next game on Friday so it is something we need to put right,” said Porterfield after the massive defeat in the first game.
Sunny exploited the conditions brilliantly during his five-wicket haul to become the first player in history to be named man-of-the-match on debut in two formats, as he was also the man-of-the-match in his first Test, against West Indies last October.
Sunny picked up a career best haul of 5 for 13 — the third-best figures in T20 internationals — and became the first Bangladesh bowler to take a five-wicket haul in T20 internationals and only the seventh bowler overall.
-With The Daily Star input
