U-19s leave with great expectations
With the usual high expectations, the Bangladesh Under-19 team will leave Dhaka today to take part in the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup, scheduled to begin from January 17 in South Africa. The Akbar Ali-led team will board the flight to Johannesburg at 6:40pm today and are expected to reach their destination on January 4 at 5:30am.
When it comes to the Bangladesh under-19 side, expectations are always high. This time however, expectations are heightened as the young Tigers will head to the sport’s biggest age-group event on the back of some impressive performances.
Last year on December 26, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan, who was very optimistic about the squad’s strength, said that he would go to South Africa for the first time if the team qualify for the semifinal.
“I think our team can even reach the final. Considering our performance in the recent past and our team combination, I think we have the capability of playing the final. I hope we can oblige and bring the [BCB] president there [South Africa],” said Akbar during a pre-tour press conference held at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.
However, both Akbar and coach Naveed Newaz mentioned that they are not thinking so far ahead and will take each match as it comes.
Bangladesh Under-19 have been playing well in the recent past. The young Tigers agonisingly lost by five runs against their Indian counterparts in the final of the Under-19 Asia Cup in September after romping to the final unbeaten.
After that, they recorded a dominant 4-1 series win against hosts New Zealand in September-October. And although Bangladesh drew a two-match youth Test series at home to Sri Lanka in November, they won the five-match youth ODI series 4-0 after the first match was abandoned.
And, given that the team will have time to acclimatise to South African conditions -- a six-day conditioning camp at Potchefstroom, during which time they will play two practice matches before playing two warm-up matches against Australia and New Zealand on January 13 and 15 -- it can be said that a lot will be expected of the young Tigers when they play Zimbabwe in their opening game on January 18 at Senwes Park.
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