BSS, Dhaka
Bangladesh head coach Russell Domingo pinned high hopes on his players to upset New Zealand in the three-match ODI series, stating that there is a great opportunity for this team ‘to do something that no Bangladeshi side has done before.
The first of a three-match series starts on March 20 at the University of Otago in Dunedin.
Even though his statement sounded utmost bold, given Bangladesh’s record on New Zealand soil in which they failed to register any victory in 26 meetings (13 ODIs, 9 Tests and 4 T20Is) with the Kiwis, Domingo looked upbeat in his stance.
“It is a great opportunity for us to do something that no Bangladeshi side has done before. We are all excited by it,” Domingo said in a recorded video message sent by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) today.
“It is my first tour to New Zealand with Bangladesh. I have been here previously with South Africa. I know it’s a tough place to tour, but it is a great opportunity for some of these younger players.
There’s a World Cup three years away and New Zealand is one of the top sides in the world. If you want to be serious contenders for an event like that in India, you have to put in big performances in a series like this.” Bangladesh might not win any match on New Zealand soil but Domingo, as South Africa’s head coach won in two tours in 2014 and 2017.
While he has the experience of beating New Zealand at their own den, the Kiwis strength was significantly reduced by the absence of captain Kane Williamson, one of the top three players in the world at this moment and senior batsman Ross Taylor.
Domingo admitted their absence is a boost for them but he warned his side about the young players of New Zealand, who are keen to establish them. “It is a bit of a boost for us, not having them there in the first game in particular.
But we know that new players are always keen to establish themselves, so they will be highly motivated to do well,” he opined. Bangladesh over the years remains a strong team in ODI format, which is something that also gave Domingo a hope to beat New Zealand this time around. Bangladesh beat West Indies at home 3-0 in January even though they lost the Test series, while New Zealand haven’t played any ODIs since March last year.
Domingo said that ODIs are Bangladesh’s strongest suit, and with a fast-bowling attack that has depth, they can potentially surprise New Zealand. “I think the 50-over format is our strongest format at the moment. If you look at the team’s performance in the World Cup and if you look at the averages of the players, we have some good numbers in one-day cricket,” he said.
“I think we have some good young fast bowlers who are coming through that maybe New Zealand haven’t seen before. They maybe weren’t expecting to see. We have got some good potential, guys like Hasan Mahmud and Taskin Ahmed are bowling nicely.
We are excited about some of our fast bowlers.” The head coach was also pleased with the work ethics of the players during the quarantine period in New Zealand.