Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha said that the primary aim of the team is to qualify for the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup 2023. Shakib Al Hasan-led side is grouped alongside Sri Lanka and Afghanistan in the first round of the tournament of which the top two qualify for the second round of the continental event.
The captaincy position became vacant after their skipper Tamim Iqbal stepped down for the captaincy position following a back injury which ruled him out of the continental event. Shakib Al Hasan has been given the opportunity to lead the squad as he has a wealth of experience leading the team in all three formats.
Speaking to the media, Hathurusingha said that the aim of the team is to qualify for the second round of the continental event, as they will come up against Sri Lanka on their home soil and another brilliant team Afghanistan in Pakistan, and the team will at least require one win to seal their place in the group four stage.
“Definitely, our aim is to qualify for the second round first. We are playing in Sri Lanka against Sri Lanka. They’re a very good team at home. And then, we are playing Afghanistan in Pakistan and lately, they played here and they won the series. So, there are big challenges but we are up for it,” Chandika Hathurusingha said.
The Bangladesh team is expected to be underdogs going into the tournament as the team has got some quality players on the side, with their experience can come in handy in Asian conditions. The team has experienced players in the lineup with the likes of Litton Das, Shakib Al Hasan, and Mushfiqur Rahim, in the team, as they will look to use their experience to do well in the forthcoming events.
Shakib Al Hasan-led side has shocked some high quality on their home soil, including the recent one against the mighty Indian team in 2022 and they have high-quality bowlers in the lineup, who can trouble the batters in the Subcontinental conditions.
The six-nation Asia Cup 2023, which will be played in a 50-over format will be played from August 30th to September 17th, has grouped India and Pakistan with Nepal. Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka are included in the other group. Shakib Al Hasan-led side will take on Sri Lanka on August 31 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Sri Lanka.