T20 World Cup 2024: Bangladesh coach aims to challenge Super 8 teams, wants Tigers to play with freedom

Head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe said that Bangladesh need to play with freedom in the Super 8 of the T20 World Cup 2024. On Thursday, June 20, the Tigers will lock horns with Mitchell Marsh’s Australia at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua. Prior to the tournament, Bangladesh did not have the best of times after losing the bilateral series to the USA followed by their defeat to India in the warm-up.

Hathurusinghe said that Bangladesh’s first target was to qualify for the second round. He lauded the bowlers for performing to the best of their ability and taking the Tigers through to the Super 8. The head coach said that the Tigers have the potential to challenge the big teams. Apart from Australia, Bangladesh will also face India and Afghanistan in the Super 8.

‘We are very happy to be here’

“Yeah, I mean, when we came into the tournament, our first target was to get into this Super 8. So, I think we achieved that with great, what can I say, our bowlers kept us in the game? So, we played the condition really well, used the condition in our favour,” Hathurusinghe said in the pre-match conference.

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“So going forward for us, being here, we’re very happy to be here. And then anything from here for us is bonus. So, we play with a lot of freedom. And we are going to challenge all three teams the best we can,” Hathurusinghe added.

Bangladesh finished second in the points table in Group D after beating the Netherlands, Nepal and Sri Lanka. They got tantalisingly close to beating South Africa, but lost by 4 runs. Their bowlers, including Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman and Rishad Hossain have been stupendous, but the Tigers would look to improve their batting.