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EXPECTATIONS DOWN UNDER

'It's unfair for Tigers'

Sports Reporter
Bangladesh's first ever ODI captain Gazi Ashraf Hossain puts it as straight as possible. The 54-year-old believes that the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand has begun on an 'unfair' note and that the more powerful members of the ICC already have an undue advantage over the others.
"Overall, it has started in an unfair way. The big three have taken a big advantage," referring to the recently concluded tri-series in Australia played between England, India and the host nation.
Gazi also believed that the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) should have 'negotiated' better in a bid to get official matches in Australia and New Zealand prior to the World Cup.
"Again, we have to blame ourselves. Whatever meetings we had in the ICC, we should have planned a series of tours, whether the Academy team or the A team, to Australia and New Zealand. I am not only blaming the current board, even the previous board [which he was a part of] could have arranged such tours," said Gazi.
"We should have had some kind of a tour in Australia. Even Afghanistan
had one. It was an administrative failure. Hopefully the boys can make the most of the camp in Brisbane," he added.
Gazi believes that all of Bangladesh's opponents are likely to use the pacey conditions against the Tigers.
"If it were any other team, they probably would have played a bit of spin. But we are likely to face 40 overs of pace. We are used to facing deliveries around 130 to 135 Kms per hour, but
how well can we face deliveries that come at 140 or 145? The players need to prepare well," opined Gazi.
“We need to master our belief. Our opponents have played so much cricket that they are a lot more confident. An English or Australian lower order batsman, has the confidence of coming in and scoring a quick half-century because of all the T20 cricket they have played. They are ahead of us,"he added.
Despite battling against the odds, Gazi believed that there was still a way for the Tigers to reach the quarterfinals.
"We have to play carefully in the first 15 overs, if we don't then we may not survive the first 15 overs. Don't be too adventurous because we are not used to these conditions. We have to accept reality. This will be a big test for the coach and the players," reckoned Gazi.
The key, according to Gazi, lies with the more experienced players of the side.
"Players like Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim and Tamim Iqbal are playing their third World Cup. They are at the peak of their careers and will have to deliver for the team to perform," believed Gazi.