The One Day International (ODI) format, the most glorious format for Bangladesh finally gave the crickters a ray of hope to hit back into the winning way, as they take on the West Indies in the opening match on Sunday at Providence Stadium in Guyana, BSS reports.
The match which starts at 7.30pm as per Bangladesh Time will be aired live on T Sports Channel. Apart from snapping their losing streak, the Tigers will definitely eye to win the match to give the country people a gift as Bangladesh's Eid-ul-Azha coincides with the match.
Bangladesh indeed could hope for the best because the format is ODI where they can even beat any team in any part of the world.
The hope to win a series in any part of the world was further bolstered after they beat South Africa at their own den in their last ODI series in March. Since their 3-0 whitewash in New Zealand in March last year, the Tigers in fact didn't lose any series. In this period, they beat teams like Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Even though they were whitewashed in the two-match Test series and lost the three-match T20I series by 2-0 (the first game ended in a no result), Bangladesh cricketers now can draw confidence from their last West Indies tour in 2018 when they beat the Caribbean side by 2-1 in three-match ODI series.
But the stat that would keep Bangladesh highly motivated is that they didn't lose any ODI match against West Indies in any part of the world since 2018. In that period, they won eight straight ODIs.
Overall the Tigers played 41 matches against West Indies, winning 18 and losing 21. The two matches ended in no result. The series is a chance for Bangladesh to further reduce the win-loss ratio against the two-time World Cup champions.
Bangladesh, however, played 394 ODIs, winning 140 and losing 247 while seven matches didn't produce any result. But of late Bangladesh's win ratio is higher than the defeat. Especially, after the 2015 World Cup, Bangladesh won 15 series but lost just four, which is a testament to their sheer strength in this format.
"We are always a competitive team in white-ball cricket. Hopefully, we'll get back to winning way," Bangladesh ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who led the Test team, said after the side-swept in the Test series.
Shakib who will not play the Zimbabwe series is also unlikely to be available against West Indies in ODI series in which Tamim Iqbal will lead the side.
Anamul Haque Bijoy, who was drafted into the side and played Test and T20I after four and seven years respectively, is highly likely to return to the ODI fold, the format in which he last played three years. Bangladesh may also lay an opportunity for left-arm spinner Taijul Islam, who is considered the replacement for Shakib.
"When you continue to lose in a series, it is tough but since the series is ODI, we can expect a good result because we naturally play this format well," Bangladesh skipper Tamim Iqbal said.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh's practice in Guyana was interrupted by continuous rain, said Tamim. But the whole team is celebrating the Eid-ul-Azha in Guyana where Eid-ul-Azha is being celebrated on Saturday.
Squads
Bangladesh
Tamim Iqbal (c), Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mahmudullah Riyad, Afif Hossain, Mosaddek Hossain Saikat, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Liton Das (wk), Nurul Hasan Sohan, Anamul Haque Bijoy, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Taijul Islam, Ebadot Hossain and Nasum Ahmed.
West Indies
Shamarh Brooks, Brandon King, Rovman owell, Keacy Carty, Kyle Mayers, Gudakesh Motie, Keemo Paul, Nicholas Pooran (c ), Shai Hope, Akeal Husein, Alzarri Joseph, Anderson Phillip and Jayden Seals.