Series win will be big boost for B’desh cricket: Mahmudullah

RAJKOT: Bangladesh captain Mahmudullah on Wednesday said a T20 series win against hosts India will be a “big boost” for Bangladesh cricket in the wake of recent setbacks, including the ban on star player Shakib-al-hasan.

“If you concentrate on the recent (developments), whatever is going on in Bangladesh cricket, a series win will be a big boost for Bangladesh cricket and also a big boost for the Bangladesh cricket team,” Mahmudullah told reporters here ahead of the team’s second T20 international against India on Thursday. “And hopefully as I have mentioned, tomorrow we have to play good cricket to beat India because we know that they are a good side at home and across the world, so we have to on our top from the first ball,” he said.

Ahead of the India tour, Bangladesh’s star-allrounder Shakib was banned for two year, one year of it suspended, for failing to report approaches by suspected Indian bookie Deepak Aggarwal to the ICC’S Anti-corruption Unit.

Before this, the Bangladesh players had gone on a strike demanding better pay before their board agreed to most of their demands.

Mahmudullah thinks this is Bangladesh’s best chance to win a T20 series against India.

“Obviously, I think, it is a great-great opportunity especially when you have already won the first game in the series, so it’s a great opportunity and I think boys are feeling energetic about it and hopefully we can put up a good show tomorrow, he added. He said winning against India in India would be a big achievement. “What I said earlier, since we won the first match, it will give us an extra confidence for all of us. We are not sitting idle, we are all desperately waiting for tomorrow’s match. Everybody is working hard and giving their best effort in practice.