“It is difficult to read wickets here in general, to be honest,” was Shaun Tait’s initial reaction on Wednesday when asked about the Chattogram surface ahead of the third and final ODI between Bangladesh and New Zealand.
The former Australian pacer, who has been working as Bangladesh’s pace bowling coach for more than a year, made the comment in response to a question about Mustafizur Rahman’s availability for the series decider, which also brought attention to the varying pitch conditions across venues in Bangladesh.
The first two ODIs of the series were played on different surfaces in Mirpur, offering contrasting conditions. In the series opener, New Zealand were restricted to 247, while Bangladesh were bowled out for 221 in a tricky wicket. In the second match, however, Bangladesh chased down 198 with six wickets and 87 balls to spare.
Bangladesh’s other international venues, Chattogram and Sylhet, also tend to offer different conditions. Chattogram traditionally assists batters with a quick outfield, while Sylhet is known for truer wickets.
Despite the uncertainty, Tait praised the unique character of Bangladesh cricket. “One thing I have noticed in Bangladesh is that it is difficult to read wickets here in general, to be honest, certainly in Mirpur,” Tait said. “As we saw, the first game was a little bit different to the second game. And maybe that’s the beauty of playing cricket in Bangladesh.”
Traditionally, Chattogram has been known as a batting-friendly venue, although it can occasionally offer low bounce. Looking ahead to the decider at the Bir Sreshtho Shahid Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Cricket Stadium, Tait was optimistic about the surface.
“Traditionally in Chattogram it’s usually a pretty good batting surface. It can keep low at times, but this pitch here seems, in my 12 months here, as good a wicket as I’ve seen in Chattogram. Let’s see how it plays tomorrow,” he added.
