Bangladesh will come up as favourite against Afghanistan: Miraz
Pic: Cricfrenzy
CF Correspondent
While rivalry between Bangladesh and Afghanistan often got well-contested in limited over cricket and T20 format, Bangladesh all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz said the same won’t be applicable in the Test format since this is the format where Bangladesh would be much ahead of the Afghans.
“Every match is challenging, I can’t say particularly if it’s a big or small challenge. Because the better team in the field will win the match,” Miraz told the reporters on Sunday at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium after the team’s practice session.
“In terms of experience and the last Test matches that we played, we are ahead of them. And also, we will have the home advantage. So we are ahead of them from many aspects,” he added.
Despite, having more experienced players in the longer format of cricket, the 21-year-old right arm spinner said that the players need to be more concerned about their individual role and insisted on performing from their own position.
‘’We have to play some good cricket and we have to perform well no matter in what position we are. We have to perform individually too. If every player perform individually from their position then the work will be a lot easier,’’ he added.
He revealed that the host is working on particular areas so that they can dominate against the Afghans and to keep the Afghan threats at bay.
“What I just said, we have more experience so definitely we will try to dominate. And we are also working in particular areas according to that. And if we are able to play good cricket, they won’t be able to do any damage. We are trying like that and working really hard,” he believed.
The only Test match between the Tigers and Afghanistan, is going to be played on September 5 and this is going to be the first longer format match between these two Asian nations.
Both the teams played eight one-day matches where Bangladesh were triumphed five times and the Afghans won three matches and the four T20Is that Bangladesh played against them, were able to claim only one victory with three defeats.
In most of those previous encounters in shorter format, Afghanistan spin bowling looked threatening in front of Bangladesh batsmen but Miraz believes it will be a lot different experience for the Afghan spinners as the tricks do not always work out the same in Test cricket for the bowlers.
“Both Mirpur and Chittagong are our home grounds. We are in home condition, so we know what will happen and what not. They have played T20 and one-day cricket in our condition but not Test. We know our condition and we’ll try to take that advantage. Because we have enough chance, we will get used to with that condition too. Maybe our batsmen will have more chances (in Chittagong) to make runs.”
