Bangladesh team start practice for the first time in NZ

Bangladesh cricketers started practicing to have got the opportunity for the first time since their arrival in New Zealand soil for over the month-long tour.  For this they were divided into small groups of seven players to have practised at the Lincoln Green yesterday although the visitors had a gym session on Wednesday for the first time after a seven-day stiff in-room quarantine at the hotel.

Tigers had to stay inside the hotel for the first seven days, they had to undergo three corona tests, after being negative for the consecutives tests they were allowed to return to the cricket field for having practice for the main games of the tour. After observing a 14-day mandatory quarantine, they will make their cricketing movement freely. All-rounder Mohammad Saifuddin sent a recorded video message to the BCB after a successful training session.

“In practice today, first we worked on our fielding, short catch and high catch. Because there’s a matter of weather and wind here and hence we practiced catching trying to adapt to the condition here. Then we did batting and bowling in short sessions,” Mohammad Saifuddin said.

“And we did a little fitness training at the end, since we haven't been able to do too much fitness in seven days. We did running according to the trainer's instructions. I will be trying to adjust to the condition with practice sessions like this for the rest of the days we have left,” Saifuddin told Bangladesh media via BCB media department.

New Zealand’s conditions have always been tough for the overseas’ opposition teams. Even, Bangladesh never won any matches against Kiwis on their home soil. But this time Saifuddin said that they are optimistic to do well against the home side in the upcoming ODI and T20I series.

“There are obviously expectations to win matches for us because we are a very good team in ODIs. So if we can all play our best, if the day is ours, the result will then be in our favour,” the paceman said. “Besides, there are also T20s. And as we are yet to fill in the achievement column in New Zealand, we will try to return to our country with some good results in this series,” he added. Bangladesh will start their campaign with one-day international matches and end their month-long tour with T20 internationals.

The series comprises three ODI and as many T20Is. They are scheduled to play three ODIs, starting from March 20 in Dunedin. The next two games are scheduled for March 23 and 26 in Christchurch and Wellington respectively.