‘Attack is the only option’
The tour of South Africa is the toughest one, especially for teams from the Asian subcontinent. Bangladesh ODI skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza is of the same opinion -- on the eve of the first ODI against South Africa in Kimberley on Sunday he said that of all the tours Bangladesh have undergone so far this year, this one is the toughest.
But that does not mean that the aggressive cricketer from Narail will be thinking of taking a backward step when the teams meet at 2:00pm Bangladesh time on Sunday.
"Far from playing defensive cricket, if we approach the match with a mindset that says of 'we can defeat them on our day', then I think we will not even get a chance. From the first ball, whether we bat or bowl, the only way to get out of this is to play attacking cricket," said Mashrafe during practice at the Diamond Oval today. "Maybe many are thinking that it is normal to lose, while others are thinking that Bangladesh can play well in the ODI format and win, but to be honest these conditions are always hard for us. Not just for us, but for other subcontinent teams as well. But attacking cricket is the only way that we can be successful, which is very important."
A major factor in the ODI series and the first match will be whether star opener Tamim Iqbal, who is still recovering from a thigh muscle tear sustained earlier on tour, will be fit in time for the match.
"We are thinking about it," said Mashrafe when asked about the team combination. "The truth is the decision will become easier and better once Tamim is fit. He will run today, let's see how he goes. We are hopeful that he will be fit. If he does that, then we will discuss."
Comments