Bangladesh captain Litton Das believes the team’s limited exposure to tri-nation tournaments brings an added challenge as they begin their campaign in the United Arab Emirates, where they will look to end a wait for a title in the format dating back to 2019.
Bangladesh’s last tri-series triumph came in Ireland in 2019, when they beat the West Indies in the final. Litton does not see the team’s subsequent record as the result of any particular weakness, pointing instead to the limited opportunities they have had to play such tournaments.
“I don’t think there is any particular reason. We play very few tri-series. I have been playing for a long time, but my experience of tri-series is very limited,” Litton said at a pre-match press conference in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
While Bangladesh regularly compete in major events such as the Asia Cup, World Cup and Champions Trophy, Litton said a tri-series presents a different kind of pressure, with every team fighting for a place in the final.
In a bilateral series, a team can recover from an opening defeat and still level the contest, potentially setting up a decider. In a tri-series, however, an early loss can leave a team under pressure, with net run rate also likely to influence the race for the final.
“When you play a tri-series, there is extra pressure because all three teams have the same target: to reach the final. In a bilateral series, even if you lose the first match, you still have a chance to level the series and then there can be a decider. But in a tri-series, losing the first match can put you on the back foot, and net run rate also comes into play,” he said.
Despite the challenge, Litton believes Bangladesh have reasons to be optimistic, citing the team’s recent performances and improvement in maturity.
“The boys have been playing very good cricket. We have played some very good series recently, and I think our maturity level has improved a lot. I hope we can play good cricket here,” he said.
Bangladesh open their tri-series campaign against Zimbabwe at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Saturday. Afghanistan complete the three-team line-up.
