Our aim is to reach semis, winning World Cup still a dream: Bangladesh coach Hathurusingha ahead of AFG tie
Our aim is to reach semis, winning World Cup still a dream: Hathurusingha
Shakib Al Hasan vs Tamim Iqbal episode just ahead of the World Cup 2023 rocked Bangladesh Cricket. Though everyone is keen on knowing what happened behind the scenes, head coach Chandika Hathurusinghais interested in sticking to the on-field action as the Tigers launch their CWC 2023 campaign against Afghanistan in Dharamsala on Saturday.
Upon picking Hathurusingha’s old quotes during the pre-match presser on the game eve, wherein he talked about Bangladesh winning the World Cup as a dream, the head coach reacted without mincing words. He said his job is to ensure the players are not under pressure, and while they must aim for the sky, realising the ground reality is as important for everyone.
The head coach added that, as a team, reaching the semis is their goal, while aiming to win the World Cup will remain a dream for now.
"My job is to take the pressure off from the players. People can dream, can aim. They can have goals. We are trying to have a good World Cup, and win matches. Our aim is to get into the semi-final. It can be a dream,” the head coach told media personnel in Dharamsala.
Remaining aware of the situation, Hathurusinghasaid winning four or five games will be the initial goal for the team, and they can then aim higher as the tournament progresses.
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"We all want to win the World Cup. Since you asked me our realistic goal, if we can win four or five matches we can get into the semi-finals. This is our first target. We have a good enough team to do this. We have to reach the semi-final stage,” he added.
Who will open in Tamim’s absence?
While Bangladesh has two options – young Tanzid Hasan and Mehidy Hasan Miraz, to pick from to open alongside Litton Das, Hathurusinghasaid the final call will be made on the game day.
"We have two options [to take Tamim's spot]. We will be in a better place to make that decision tomorrow morning," the coach said.
"We will see if we bat first or second, and then take a decision. The wicket looks really good for one-day cricket. It has a nice covering of grass. I think it will be a really good sporting wicket. We are expecting high scoring on this ground. We will decide the combination tomorrow morning," he added.
Bangladesh vs Afghanistan will be the first of the two matches scheduled on Saturday, as Sri Lanka will take on South Africa in the next clash in Delhi.
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