Sports desk:

Bangladesh are eying to build up a winning habit, snapping the perpetual failure in the T20 format when they take on United Arab Emirates in the first of the two-match series at Dubai International Cricket Stadium tomorrow (Sunday). The match starts at 8 PM as per Bangladesh Time.

Creating a winning culture is imperative for Bangladesh as they won just two of the nine T20Is they have played this year. They lost six and witnessed one game washed out by rain.

Therefore they are desperate to get back into the groove ahead of the tri- nation series in New Zealand and T20 World Cup in World.

The UAE series in fact was not in the plan initially. Bangladesh was supposed to practice for some days before leaving the New Zealand for tri-nation series. However the team management pondered some International matches will be more effective than practice at home but they didn’t get stronger team
than the UAE because of other team’s tight International schedule.

Before the series was finalized, Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan was granted NOC to play the Caribbean Premier League (CPL). Shakib later chose CPL ahead of UAE series and so vice-captain Nurul Hasan Sohan will lead the side.

“If we can win both the matches against the UAE, the confidence gained from these wins will help us in the tri-nation T20I series in New Zealand and the T20 World Cup,” Sohan said ahead of leaving the country.

Most recently, Bangladesh returned from the Asia Cup in UAE having lost both group matches against Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. Some luck against eventual champion Sri Lanka might put Tigers in the Super Four but there’s no doubt that their approach was not dynamic what T20 cricket demands.

Before the Asia Cup, they also surrendered their first ever T20 bilateral series to Zimbabwe, having lost the three-match series by 2-1.

“Even though we lost last few matches in this format, I think there is chance to get back into the groove. If we can create a habit of winning then the team combination and overall outlook of the side will change. That will be our target,” Sohan added.

“We want to think in a big way and then follow a process. If we can follow the process, results will come in our favour.”
Opener Soumya Sarkar, pacer Shoriful Islam, and leg-spinner Rishad Hossain, all of whom were named as stand-by players for the T20 World Cup, have been included for the UAE tour. Off-spinner Mahedi Hasan, who was dropped from the Tigers’ World Cup squad, took a leave from the tour.

Bangladesh earlier played just one match against UAE in this format in 2016 and won that by 51 runs. Overall they played 133 matches, winning 45 and losing 85 while three matches ended in a no result.

Squad for the T20 series against UAE: Nurul Hasan Sohan (Captain), Sabbir Rahman, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Afif Hossain, Mosaddek Hossain Saikot, Liton Kumer Das, Yasir Ali Chowdhury, Mustafizur Rahman, Saifuddin, Taskin Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain Chowdhury, Hasan Mahmud, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Nasum Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Soumya Sarkar, Rishad Hossain.