Bangladesh Cricket

Mominul wants to reap the benefits of working from home

Online Desk

14 Jul 20 16:44:29

Image : Collected

|| CF Correspondent ||

Bangladesh Test captain Mominul Haque said he wants to reap the benefits of working tirelessly from home to have the result on the match day when they will return to cricket after the lengthy break of the highly contagious virus.

Cricket in Bangladesh like the bulk of the cricketing nations has been shut down since March because of the lethal COVID-19 pandemic. The popular sport marks its glorious return to the field through the first Test match out of three between England and West Indies on July 8.

It was the Jamaican cricketer Jermaine Blackwood who rose to the occasion and scored the highest score of 95 in the second innings to clinch the victory for the West Indies against the hosts England.

After the match, it was Andre Russell, his partner in training during the shutdown of cricket posted on social media about how important training was for them to be able to keep in shape.

The dedication of that training and the end result is uplifting Bangladesh players, says Test captain Mominul Haque.

“I know it’s unbearable to be stuck in the house for a person who is accustomed to stay outside for so long. Still have to stay and make sure not to break down emotionally,” Mominul Haque said.

“If we can understand our own minds and continue to work hard, we’ll surely succeed the moment we’ll return to the field. If Blackwood gets the result why don’t we make it then,” Mominul Haque told a Bengali media.

Blackwood has set such an example by playing the match-winning innings in the return of international cricket. Bangladesh also has a connection with the opening of the door of his Test debut.

After scoring the highest run in the domestic tournament in 2014, a century against the visiting Bangladesh ‘A’ team took him to the Caribbean team against New Zealand.

Mominul, who saw Blackwood’s score in front of his eyes, saw that kind of positivity in that Jamaican’s batting in Southampton as well.

“I played against him for the ‘A’ team,” he said.

“He still scored a century by playing big shots. His characteristic is that as long as he is on the wicket, he tries to dominate. Even in this test, he continued to hit over the fielder. He is a very positive batsman. His positivity has played a big role in chasing the short run [200] for West Indies,” he added.

As a Test skipper and batsman, he is also hoping to play such a role in one day and also overjoyed at the fact that international cricket has finally started.

“Many ancillary is missing, however, it finally starts,” Mominul said.

While the England-West Indies series would set the course for international cricket, Bangladesh ODI captain Tamim Iqbal, however, declined to comment right away.

“I want to wait until the end of the series. I’ll be able to comment if the series ends without any problems,” Tamim Iqbal said.

But Mominul doesn’t seem to have a problem with the hygiene practices he has seen in Southampton and also imagined their future, in the same way, could be a possible way to mark the Tigers return to the field.

“Saw everyone play according to the rules. Also saw those outside the XI were with gloves in their hands. Celebration was made without that much body contact, like before. Celebration was done by touching the elbows,” Test captain said.

“We also have to be habituated like that. Play now or three months later, we also have to follow certain rules. Until the vaccine arrives, we have to follow the rules of hygiene and play,” he added.

The left-handed batsman said he didn’t avoid the various challenges of following the hygiene rules during the corona pandemic.

However, West Indies fast bowler Shannon Gabriel was the best in the match with nine wickets in two innings in Southampton. Another fast bowler Jason Holder also took six wickets in the first innings. The English fast bowlers also got success.

“The pace bowlers seemed a little helpless to me. They did well with the new ball. But after the ball got old, they were having problems. Maybe it happens because one can't use saliva on the bowl. That’s what I thought when I saw Jofra Archer [at the beginning of the Caribbean run chase]. He was great and effective in the beginning but later on, when the ball got old, it seemed that there was a problem. After being shut down due to the coronavirus, it was the first time that cricket was seen as a challenge,” he concluded.