BD now confident in T20I, Tests, ODIs: Mushfiq

March 20, 2018 00:00:00

COLOMBO: Bangladesh's Rubel Hossain (2nd L) celebrating with teammates after he dismissed India's Lokesh Rahul during the final Nidahas Twenty20 Tri-Series international cricket match between India and Bangladesh at the R Premadasa stadium here Sunday — AFP

Former captain of Bangladesh cricket team Mushfiqur Rahim said the Tigers are now confident in T20I like in Tests and One Day Internationals (ODIs), reports UNB.

Mushfiq made the comment on Monday while talking to reporters after arriving at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka from Sri Lanka.

"We have shown that we can be consistent in T20Is," said Mushfiq who scored 182 runs-including two successive half centuries each one of 72* runs against Sri Lanka and India in the league phase respectively-in five games in the Nidahas Trophy.

Bangladesh never felt like they were playing consistently in a T20I tournament before Nidahas Trophy where the Tigers beat host Sri Lanka twice in final-over thrillers, which has given them confidence for the future, he said.

In the final of the seven-match tournament on Sunday, the Tigers also sweated out champions India until the last ball of the match.

Mushfiqur, however, thinks that Soumya shouldn't be blamed. "It is quite obvious to feel bad. But it wasn't due to one person. It is a team game so the failure is ours. We have to take lessons from this game. It was the first time for Soumya, so I am sure the next time he will do much better while facing such situation."

Mushfiq believed that Bangladesh's overall recovery in this tournament is perfectly well after the poor home series against Sri Lanka. Bangladesh lost T20I series by 2-0 margin in February, after losing the ODI tri-series final and the Test series to Sri Lanka.

"Now we have to work on our death-over bowling. In the final we were a bit behind India's economy rate. I think it is a gain that we now have some confidence in T20Is, like we have found in Tests and ODIs," the diminutive consistent performer of the Tigers added.

"We lost a good opportunity, that's all what I can say. It is not every day that you get a chance to beat India," Mushfiq said.