Bangladesh will take one point if it is there for taking but will be happier to compete and fight for a win, said skipper Mashrafee bin Murtaza ahead of their today’s match against Australia in Brisbane. Persistent rain in the wake of cyclonic storm Marcia threatened to spoil the game at Gabba, raising the prospect for Bangladesh to escape with a point to give them a better chance to qualify for the next round.
However, Mashrafee said he is looking forward to play, which irrespective of result, is more important for future matches in the tournament.
Mashrafee also played down the suggestion that a curtail-over match, a strong possibility provided the weather improves, would give them better chance to upset Australia.
‘We are not looking forward to one point,’ he said in the pre-match briefing in Brisbane on Friday. ‘I think it is negative thinking. We are preparing ourselves in a way that we will play the match.’
‘Of course we don’t want curtail-over match because it makes fielding the right combination difficult.
‘If you talk about one point you never know what will happen if full match is played. So we are thinking positive.
‘Win or loss is part of the game, but if we can play well this confidence will help us in next matches.
‘So it is disappointing for us, but if you can get one point, whatever is happening is happening for good, so we don’t mind that,’ he said.
Bangladesh could train only at indoors at Gabba before the match, which Mashrafee said was not ideal preparation to take on Australia.
Regular bowlers could not bowl at the nets because spike was disallowed. Only Al-Amin Hossain, who did not play in the previous match against Afghanistan, bowled few overs wearing cades.
Batsmen also had to be satisfied with few knocks against innocuous deliveries coming from the thrower of bowling coach Heath Streak.
‘We are obviously disappointed because we could not prepare us the way we wanted,’ said Mashrafee.
‘Although it is equal for both teams, but again, they are habituated in this wicket. So, if they skip training here for a day that would not be a big issue for them.’
Weather left Mashrafee frustrated also because it is robbing them of a chance to try their skill in Australia’s traditional cricketing hub.
Until this World Cup Bangladesh’s experience of playing in Australia was limited to fringe venues like Darwin and Cairns.
Even their first match of the World Cup was played at a field which is not ranked among Australia’s bests.
The Brisbane game gives them their first true opportunity to play at major Australian venues.
‘None of us have any kind of experience of playing at Brisbane,’ said Mashrafee. ‘Not even our coach [Chandika Hathurusinghe] has this experience. He came here only as coach for few matches,’ he said.
The skipper, however, was prompt to correct his mistakes saying that all-rounder Sakib al Hasan had few games at Gabba during his stints at Big Bash.
-With New Age input
