Youths' date with SA
Bangladesh under-19 captain Suharwardi Shuvo's words ahead of today's quarterfinal reflected his team's mindset.
"We are confident and positive of a good result," said the left-arm spinner, who inspired his side on Friday with both bat and ball, on the eve of their crucial knockout fixture against South Africa at the Bayueams Oval in Kuala Lumpur.
Bangladesh escaped from 49-7 to win by 13 runs against a strong England outfit when Shuvo played patiently to score an unbeaten 56 and then took a wicket.
The Rajshahi lad and Dollar Mahmud took part in light practice despite suffering in the searing heat of the Malaysian capital. The rest of the side were kept fresh, taking part in a light warm-up followed by a net session that lasted an hour in the late afternoon.
Batsman Saikat Ali is set to replace out of form Rony Talukdar and Saikat will bring in a bit of medium-pace into the well-blended Bangladesh bowling attack.
Team liaison officer Ziaul Alam Rony informed last night that the temperature reached almost 38 degree Celsius on Friday and is expected to remain the same on Sunday.
But the heat was the last thing on the team management's mind as they looked to close out the Proteas, much like they did earlier this year in a tri-nation tournament in South Africa.
Bangladesh had toured South Africa in the build-up to this World Cup and there wasn't much to choose between the sides. They drew one Test although South Africa had taken a sizeable first-innings lead, and clinched a one-dayer by a two-wicket margin.
Word from the South Africa camp is that Bangladesh are a tough side to break and are being perceived as a genuine threat.
There were suggestions that today's opponents would not be as strong as England but it would be unwise to let go of a major chance to win a big tournament due to over-confidence.
Their opponents had to depend on India beating West Indies to qualify for the quarterfinals and they might have expected to play England, instead of Bangladesh.
For South Africa, the challenge will be to negotiate Bangladesh's off-spinners Nasir Hossain and Mahmudul Hasan, and Shuvo.
The Bangladesh top order struggled against England's pace attack: Harris took 5 for 29 out of which four batsmen were dismissed for ducks. South Africa have a line-up filled with medium-pacers who keep a tight line and length. Their accuracy is heightened by excellent fielding and also because the wicketkeeper often stands up to the stumps, making it hard for the batsman to leave his crease.
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