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Bangladesh coach eyes T20 Super Eights spot
Jamie Siddons said that his side is targeting victory against India and a berth in the Super Eights round during next month's Twenty20 World Cup in England
- Agence France-Presse
- Updated: May 20, 2009 08:22 AM IST
Read Time:2 min
Dhaka: Bangladesh cricket coach Jamie Siddons said on Wednesday that his side is targeting victory against India and a berth in the Super Eights round during next month's Twenty20 World Cup in England.
Bangladesh are drawn with defending champions India and Ireland in the preliminary round, with two teams advancing to the Super Eights round.
"Our target is to beat India in our first match which will confirm a place in the next round," Siddons told AFP ahead of his team's departure on Friday for the June 5-21 tournament.
"We know India are the world champions in Twenty20 cricket. They have talented players. But if our top three players fire, we can beat them."
Bangladesh play India at Trent Bridge, Nottingham on June 6 before taking on Ireland at the same venue on June 8.
During the inaugural Twenty20 Worlds in South Africa in 2007, Bangladesh qualified for the Super Eights with a shock win over the West Indies.
Siddons said Bangladesh was capable of reaching the semi-finals, provided captain Mohammad Ashraful, opening batsman Tamim Iqbal and all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan played to their full potential.
"They are the best players in the team. On their day, we can beat any top side in the world," he said.
Siddons said Bangladesh has been short of match practice with no games against any international side in the past four months.
"We are going to England a week earlier than our competitors. We will play five practice matches, two of which are against Australia and New Zealand, so I hope our boys will acclimatise well to the English conditions," Siddons said.
Bangladesh squad:
Mohammad Ashraful (capt), Mashrafe Mortaza, Tamim Iqbal, Junaid Siddique, Raqibul Hasan, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Naeem Islam, Abdur Razzak, Shahadat Hossain, Syed Rasel, Mohammad Mahmudullah, Rubel Hossain, Shamsur Rahman, Mohammad Mithun.
Coach: Jamie Siddons (AUS)
Bangladesh are drawn with defending champions India and Ireland in the preliminary round, with two teams advancing to the Super Eights round.
"Our target is to beat India in our first match which will confirm a place in the next round," Siddons told AFP ahead of his team's departure on Friday for the June 5-21 tournament.
"We know India are the world champions in Twenty20 cricket. They have talented players. But if our top three players fire, we can beat them."
Bangladesh play India at Trent Bridge, Nottingham on June 6 before taking on Ireland at the same venue on June 8.
During the inaugural Twenty20 Worlds in South Africa in 2007, Bangladesh qualified for the Super Eights with a shock win over the West Indies.
Siddons said Bangladesh was capable of reaching the semi-finals, provided captain Mohammad Ashraful, opening batsman Tamim Iqbal and all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan played to their full potential.
"They are the best players in the team. On their day, we can beat any top side in the world," he said.
Siddons said Bangladesh has been short of match practice with no games against any international side in the past four months.
"We are going to England a week earlier than our competitors. We will play five practice matches, two of which are against Australia and New Zealand, so I hope our boys will acclimatise well to the English conditions," Siddons said.
Bangladesh squad:
Mohammad Ashraful (capt), Mashrafe Mortaza, Tamim Iqbal, Junaid Siddique, Raqibul Hasan, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Naeem Islam, Abdur Razzak, Shahadat Hossain, Syed Rasel, Mohammad Mahmudullah, Rubel Hossain, Shamsur Rahman, Mohammad Mithun.
Coach: Jamie Siddons (AUS)
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