Mithun eager to reach next level
The Zimbabwe series will mark the first time that, since making his ODI debut in 2014, wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Mithun will play consecutive series for Bangladesh.
The 27-year-old has been in and out of the national team until he eventually proved his worth in the recently concluded Asia Cup, where the right-hander struck two fifties.
Mithun was given a chance to make a comeback after six months in the Asia Cup with the new role of batting in the middle order. Mithun, who usually opened the innings in the past, grabbed the opportunity with both hands.
"Actually I did not find that [shift to middle order] difficult as it's my profession. Every day after waking up in the morning I don't feel good until I go to the ground and I feel satisfied if I do something good. I have to give my time where I am able to earn money and therefore take care of my family. As I don't do anything else for a living, the motivation also comes from cricket," said Mithun to reporters at the Sher-e-Bangla National stadium in Mirpur yesterday.
The 27-year-old batted at number five in the Asia Cup and smashed his maiden ODI fifty in the opener against Sri Lanka in Dubai, where along with Mushfiqur Rahim he added a match-winning 131-run third-wicket after Bangladesh were reeling on two for two, effectively two for three as Tamim Iqbal had retired hurt.
A cool customer, Mithun repeated his show of handling pressure in the crunch game against Pakistan, hitting another fifty in a 144-run partnership with Mushfiqur after they were cut down to 12 for three.
Mithun however is looking forward to correcting the mistakes as he threw away his wicket after reaching his fifty to be dismissed in the sixties in both games.
"Obviously I was unable to finish the game the way Mushfiqur bhai did as I was dismissed midway. Next time, whenever I will be in such situation I will try to finish the job. If I was able to finish from that point I would have taken the main role, which is important," Mithun said.
Bangladesh will start the training camp for the three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe who will arrive tomorrow scheduled to start from October 21 and Mithun said that, thanks to his Asia Cup performances, he will start the series with renewed confidence.
"There has been no real change as such, except that my self-belief has increased. I used to be uncertain before, thinking that I would be dropped again if I failed. That fear is not there for the time being."
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