BAN coach hints at four-man pace attack, find out bowler likely to get picked

Bangladesh is set to play the T20I series final against Afghanistan in Dhaka on Tuesday. The hosts have managed three wins out of four league games and weren’t convincing in either of them. Ahead of the final, head coach Russell Domingo admitted that the team is still looking for a perfect game and there are certain areas which need improvement.

“We haven’t played the perfect game yet,” Domingo said on Monday. “We have been good in certain areas and average in certain areas. We are still trying to find the perfect game.”

The biggest concern for the home side is the top-order failure. In the four league games, the hosts  have lost a total of 15 wickets in the first half of the innings. “We haven’t got to the last five or six overs with only two or three wickets down,” Domingo emphasized. “We lose too many wickets in the first ten overs.”

Domingo, however, backed Nazmul Hossain who has scored 5 and 11 in the two games respectively and Mushfiqur Rahim who has made a few errors behind the stumps. Domingo reckoned that Rahim will keep the wickets despite missing one or two balls.

T20 World Cup Preparations in mind

Moreover, with the next World Cup slated to be played in Australia next year, Domingo is also looking to field a four-man pace attack on Tuesday against Afghanistan. In the league game, Afghanistan’s top order looked a bit uncomfortable against the pace attack at the start of the innings. Bangladesh featured with the three-man pace attack – Mustafizur Rahman, Mohammad Saifuddin and Shafiul Islam – in the last two games played in Chattogram. The pitches in Chattogram are usually flatter compared to in Dhaka and the greenish pitch at Shere Bangla Stadium might tempt the host to add another pacer in attack.

“I think we are going to add a fourth seamer to our 12 and make a decision tomorrow, looking at the wicket,” Domingo continued. “My thinking is where we are going to play the World Cup in a year’s time. We are playing in Australia, and I can’t see us playing one or two seamers there. We have to play at least three or four fast bowlers in Australia.”

Rubel to come in for Aminul Haque; Rashid doubtful for AFG

Bangladesh is most likely to miss out the services of their batting all rounder, Aminul Islam who sustained a finger injury by a forceful shot from Hamilton Masakadza. Rubel Hossain is expected to make a cut to the 12-man squad in his absence. On the opposite, Afghanistan is pondering over Rashid Khan’s fitness. If he misses out, Sharafuddin Ashraf might get a game.