After a triumphant World Cup warm-up campaign, Bangladesh team is boozing into confidence ahead of World Cup cricket in the Caribbean. Bangladesh is looking forward to start the world cup in style when they meet India on 17th Match at Trinidad.
After gaining an unlikely victory over the rampant Kiwis, the Tigers are highly satisfied with their overall preparation. The team Management believes Bangladesh is hitting the peak of their form in very right time. Now, if they can cope with similar situations in the main stage, they can claim their entrance ticket in the elite league and shred off the minnow tag.
After taking Bangladesh coaching job in June 2003, Dav Whatmore always insisted in turning the Tigers’s fate around. While talking to the media at Barbados, Whatmore maintained the same stance.
"It's important for Bangladesh to win as many (matches) as we can. Against a good opposition like New Zealand, the win was terrific for us," Whatmore told the journalists waiting to hear from the mentor of Sri Lnakan renaissance in 2003 World Cup.
"We're ranked ninth ... and most judges around the world would expect the opposition to beat Bangladesh every time there is fixture.”
"(But) we're improving all the time and I just feel it's becoming more of a reality that Bangladesh might cause an upset or two." Whatmore added.
While Whatmore used the word Upset, his captain Bashar was more confident in his approach. "Before we came here for the World Cup nobody gave us a chance. That's fine for people to say, but we are looking at getting to the second round”.
"The morale of the team is very high. Everybody is in a positive frame of mind and that gives me a lot of confidence. "This time we are a team in a real sense. We have a reliable batting side and a good bowling side as well," captain Habibul Bashar added.
It is the belief that Whatmore succeeded to instill in the mindset of the young Tigers and it’s paying the dividend in the very right time.
Bangladesh is placed in the Group B along with two World Champions India and Sri Lanka and amateur Bermuda. Bangladesh enjoyed one day success against both world champions in their last home series which further bolstered their confidence. They are also enjoying a psychological edge over group rival Sri Lanka who suffered defeat in the hand of the Black Caps in the warm up match.
Bangladesh enjoyed a consistent build up in momentum over the last two years and earned crucial victories against World Champions India, Sri Lanka and finally Australia. They also enjoyed a 64.24 percent success rate in one day internationals in 2006, only Australia managed a better record (71.42).
Whatmore also believes the inroads made by the current crop of Bangladesh players will go a long way towards creating a world beating team in the near future. "They've got potential to do that. They've got 150 million people in the country and all the kids there want to play cricket for Bangladesh," said Whatmore.
"Just like India and Sri Lanka we've got the base there from which to draw from ... the future is bright."
Bangladesh has successfully uprooted their defeatist attitude and created a winning habit over the last one year. With Whatmore and his Captains in optimistic tune, Cricket pundits are also expecting an upset or two from the cricket fanatic country.
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