Sri Lanka series will be challenging - Tamim Iqbal

Bangladesh batsman Tamim Iqbal, who will lead his team in Mashrafe Mortaza’s absence in the upcoming three-match one-day international series against Sri Lanka, believes that the hosts will present a tough challenge in home conditions.

After a decent show in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, Bangladesh will be reasonably confident of their chances in the upcoming ODI series in Sri Lanka. 

However, the team appears a touch short on experience with the likes of Mashrafe Mortaza, Shakib al Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin and Liton Das missing out, either through injury or personal reasons.

Tamim, who will lead Bangladesh for the first time ever in ODIs, believes that the series will be an opportunity for the younger players to prove themselves.

“I think the series is very important and who are travelling with the team have a lot to prove because a lot of experienced cricketers are not going due to injury and other personal reasons,” Tamim said. 

“This series will be challenging. Sri Lanka is a very strong team at home but we have done well in the past so there is no reason why we can’t do it this time.”

“Those who are in the squad... if they grab this opportunity with both hands then it will be better for the team as well as for them too,” he added.

Tamim one of Bangladesh’s most consistent batsman since 2015, had a below-par World Cup, finishing the tournament with 235 runs from eight innings. 

His recent performances against Sri Lanka haven’t been great either, having registered four single digit scores in his last five innings against them. 

The left-handed opener hopes he can turn things around in the upcoming series and said that the added responsibility of captaincy won’t affect his performance.

“We are in a better position than them in both batting and bowling.” 

“I did not think [that leading the side will be an added pressure]. I could not play to my expectation [in the World Cup], but there is a new challenge ahead and I am hoping something good will happen, let’s see.”

“If you think about your failure all the time then you are likely to fail again, so I am thinking what is ahead instead of what had passed by. I am trying to figure out the positives now and what I am saying is that this series is very important and we are hoping to do well as a team,” he concluded. 

(ICC)