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‘Everybody was hungry to win’
Bangladesh men’s Under-19 team successfully defended their ACC U-19 Asia Cup title on Sunday after beating eight-time champions India in the final in Dubai, UAE. For the team’s head coach Naveed Nawaz, it was the second title with the Young Tigers, having previously won the ICC U-19 World Cup in South Africa in 2020 during his first term. The 51-year-old Sri Lankan spoke with The Daily Star’s Samsul Arefin Khan after the successful campaign, shared insights on their performance in the event and the plans going forward. Here are the excerpts:
The Daily Star (DS): After getting dismissed for 198 in the final, what was the discussion in the dressing room?
Naveed Nawaz (NN): We knew that we were about 20 to 30 runs short because the par score on the ground was about 230. But we had drawn up plans against most of the Indian batters. In our discussions we said that our only chance was to get them all out. The plan was to attack and try to get wickets. We went all out and I think the boys executed the plans really well.
DS: How do you rate the performance of Azizul Hakim Tamim both as a cricketer and captain? Do you see him leading the team in the World Cup in 2026?
NN: Tamim was brilliant throughout the tournament. We have identified his skills as a leader and of course as a player as well. That’s the reason he is the captain. It’s too early to say whether he’s going to lead in the World Cup. But so far, he has captained in two series and has done really well. The boys as well as the staff have a lot of confidence in him.
DS: The pacers were sensational throughout the tournament. How high do you rate the current pace attack?
NN: The fast bowling has been really good. [Al] Fahad, [Iqbal Hossain] Emon, Maruf Mridha – they have made a lot of impact. Also, because of the fact that we played in Dubai, it helped the fast bowlers a bit. I think they have shown maturity. There are a few things we need to work on with them which will be done during the camps. They are still improving.
DS: The body language of the players was positive throughout the tournament and they showed aggression when needed. How did they achieve this mindset?
NN: That is something we discussed before the final. We discussed about the intensity that we should carry onto the field, especially when playing against India. A lot of it was obviously due to the body language they showed. Everyone was hungry to do well, they were hungry to win.
DS: Some players of the current squad like Shihab James and Maruf Mridha were part of last year’s U-19 Asia Cup winning side as well. Are they in the plans for the next U-19 World Cup?
NN: Actually, James and Maruf aren’t eligible to play in the next World Cup. So, they will move on and will be in the HP programme for couple of months. Our squad will continue with the others.
DS: Do you want to test more players in the upcoming series or stick with the current group and form the World Cup squad around them?
NN: There are a few areas we are still looking at before forming the final squad, which we will not do for at least another six to seven months. The Youth Cricket League is coming up and will probably end by February-March. There are still a couple of positions open. We are still on the lookout for talent.