Bangladesh captain Liton Das believes that a break ahead of the Ireland home series will allow them to recuperate from a busy schedule and come back refreshed.
Bangladesh suffered a clean sweep in the T20I series against the West Indies, when they lost the third and final game of three-match series by five wickets on Friday, which was also their first series defeat after four consecutive victories, this year.
The Tigers have been busy on the field, starting with the Asia Cup in September, followed by a white-ball series against Afghanistan, and then playing the West Indies at home.
Liton stressed that the players are required to rest for workload management before the series against Ireland scheduled later this month.
鈥業 had said before the series that I wanted a tough challenge, and we certainly got it,鈥� Liton said after the match at Chattogram.
鈥榃est Indies bowled very well, and our batting was not up to the mark. But a bad series now and then isn鈥檛 a concern. These players are proven and experienced. Sometimes things don鈥檛 go our way, but they鈥檝e consistently performed for the national team. A break will help them recover and come back stronger.
鈥楾he team has been playing continuously 鈥� fitness camps, multiple series, Asia Cup, ODIs and T20s. Fatigue is natural. The upcoming break, ahead of the Ireland series, will give players at least 10 days to recharge and restart their preparation.鈥�
The skipper emphasised on the importance of maintaining morale despite setbacks.
鈥楾he only way to bounce back is to keep spirits high and stay positive. Worrying only invites negative thoughts. Players should back themselves, focus on improvement, and surround themselves with supportive people. I鈥檓 confident they will return better,鈥� he said.
In the match, the host set a target of 152 after Tanzid Tamim smashed his 10th half-century and career best 89; however, his brilliance was overshadowed by batting woes as none could reach double figures except Saif Hassan.
West Indies then held the upper hand and chased down the total in 16.5 overs with twin half-centuries from Roston Chase and Ackeem Auguste.聽
鈥榃e struggled under pressure in all three games. The pitches, dew, and weather weren鈥檛 always in our favor. On certain wickets, scoring 150-160 isn鈥檛 easy. Against West Indies, factors like dew heavily aided their batting. Our bowlers tried hard, but sometimes circumstances are beyond control,鈥� Liton reckoned the challenges from external conditions.
When asked about struggling middle-order batter Jaker Ali鈥檚 form, Liton said they would need skill development.聽
鈥榃orld cricket is evolving. Batsmen today play advanced shots like the reverse sweep on turning wickets. We need to expand our range of shots and strengthen individual skills to compete globally,鈥� he said.
Liton remained optimistic about the team鈥檚 future despite the series ended in disappointment.
鈥楾hese are experienced players who know their areas for improvement. A short rest and focused practice can help them return stronger and deliver the performances we expect.鈥�
