Bangladesh's cricket team is gearing up for the upcoming T20 World Cup with renewed focus on big-hitting, a skill that has traditionally been a weak spot for the team. Ahead of the first T20 international against England, the team engaged in a fun exercise to improve their hitting ability. Coach Chandika Hathurusingha observed the session and said he wants the players to bring what they do in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) to the international stage.
Hathurusingha, who rejoined Bangladesh as head coach last month after a six-year gap, noted that there has been an overall improvement in the team despite losing the ODI series to England 2-1. He praised the fast bowlers for their discipline and understanding of the game, especially Taskin and Ebadot, and was happy with the team's fielding effort. However, he acknowledged that there is room for improvement in batting, particularly in the area of big-hitting.
In T20 cricket, runs are crucial, and big-hitting is a key skill that can give a team an edge. Hathurusingha believes that physical power is important, but good swing and a strong base are also essential to improve hitting ability. The coach is particularly interested in seeing what young batters Towhid Hridoy and Rony Talukdar can do in match situations.
"I have seen Rony before. I remember he played one game against South Africa. I am actually very interested to see what he can do," Hathurusingha said.
Bangladesh's players have been working hard to improve their big-hitting skills, and Hathurusingha wants to see them showcase their skills against the world champions. He expects the players to do the same thing that got them selected and show their skillset in T20s.
"I am very open to see what we can do," Hathurusingha said. "So go and show in the international level against the world champions, for them to understand where they are at, and for us to understand whether we are better than them in our conditions or they are better than us. Good opportunity for us to see our skillset in T20s."
The team's focus on big-hitting is not new. In the BPL, Bangladesh's domestic T20 league, many players have honed their hitting skills and become successful in the format. The challenge now is to bring that success to the international stage.
Hathurusingha said he wants Bangladesh to be the best fielding side in Asia, and he believes that young legs on the field can help achieve that goal. Young fielders like Hridoy are faster and more energetic, which can make a difference in the field.
Overall, Bangladesh has a lot of work to do to become a legitimate big-hitting side, but the team has the time to improve before the next T20 World Cup. The upcoming T20 series against England is a good opportunity for the team to assess its skillset and see where it needs to improve.
Bangladesh will play England in the first T20I in Chattogram on Thursday, followed by two games in Mirpur on March 12 and 14. Fans will be watching closely to see if Bangladesh's renewed focus on big-hitting translates to success on the international stage.
