After about a week-long fitness camp, a three-day skill training session was held from 16 August with the cricketers named in the preliminary squad for the Asia Cup. However, Monday’s final day of training was cancelled. The national team’s camp is set to begin in Sylhet on 20 August, where Bangladesh will play a three-match T20 series against the Netherlands. This series has essentially been arranged as preparation for the upcoming Asia Cup.
Before heading into the Asia Cup, the players are getting an opportunity to sharpen themselves through competitive matches. With the recent fitness camp, skill training, and power-hitting sessions combined, Jaker Ali Anik says they are going into the Asia Cup with the goal of becoming champions.
At a press conference on Monday at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur, Jaker Ali said, “Inshallah, we are going to the Asia Cup this time with the goal of becoming champions. I can say this personally , I’m going to win the championship. And everyone in the dressing room believes this. Given the environment in our team right now and the way everyone is putting in the effort, we believe we are going there to become champions.”
However, Bangladesh doesn’t have fond memories from the last T20-format Asia Cup. In the 2022 edition, the team lost both group-stage matches against Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. In this year’s Asia Cup, Bangladesh is once again in Group B alongside Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, with Hong Kong added to the mix. Bangladesh’s Asia Cup campaign begins on 11 September with a match against Hong Kong. On 13 and 16 September, Liton Das’s side will face Sri Lanka and Afghanistan respectively.
Although Jaker hasn’t set any personal targets for these three Asia Cup matches, his main aim is to contribute runs for the team. He mentioned the lack of a fixed batting position as the main reason for not setting specific goals.
Jaker said, “I normally don’t set too many goals, actually. Because in T20s, my batting role often changes. Sometimes I have to go in early so setting goals becomes a bit difficult. The general idea is that, if I’m batting at number five, then it’s about scoring big runs. But if I’m batting at six or seven, then it’s about scoring as many as possible in as few balls as possible.”