Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto is brimming with confidence following his team's historic Test series victory against Pakistan. The Tigers achieved a remarkable 2-0 whitewash over Pakistan in Rawalpindi, which has propelled them to No. 4 in the World Test Championship standings.
This success has boosted the team's belief that they can secure victories away from home. As Bangladesh prepares for their upcoming two-match Test series against top-ranked India, Shanto is hopeful that the win over Pakistan will serve as significant motivation.
"One word: belief. It feels great when you are winning. It is important to enjoy these moments. I think such a moment has never come in the Bangladesh team's history. Cricketers look for references. Now we have one. We know that we have the ability to win abroad," Shanto said.
Shanto expressed confidence in his team's potential, stating that their hard work in Pakistan had instilled a strong belief in their capabilities. He highlighted that this newfound confidence will be crucial as they face India.
"The next time we play, I don't know about the result, but we will surely have the belief that we can win. I said the same thing in the press conference on the first day [when asked about Bangladesh's dismal record in Pakistan] that records are meant to be broken. It was from my belief after seeing how hard the players worked," Shanto added.
The first Test of the series against India will take place at the historic MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, starting on September 19. The second Test will be held at Green Park Stadium in Kanpur, beginning on September 27.
Jay Shah assures BCB of top security for BD squad
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president, Faruque Ahmed, has confirmed that he has received security assurances for the upcoming tour of India from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary, Jay Shah.
Concerns over the safety of the Bangladesh team surfaced last month when the Hindu Mahasabha, a right-wing Hindu nationalist group, opposed the tour. They cited reports of alleged attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh following the fall of Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government on August 5.
"I have talked to Jay Shah and he has given us the assurance regarding security," after a meeting with the national team players at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Thursday.
The Hindu Mahasabha has threatened protests against the Bangladesh team, particularly in Kanpur, where the second Test of the two-match series is scheduled to start on September 27. The group's vice president, Jaiveer Bharadwaj, also stated that they would oppose the first T20I in Gwalior on October 6.
The BCB is now preparing for the tour with the security assurances in place, hoping for a smooth series in India.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ