We have done well in the past against Sri Lanka, no reason why we can’t do it again, says Tamim Iqbal

After a subpar World Cup performance, Bangladesh head to Sri Lanka for an ODI series without key players like Shakib Al Hasan, Liton Das, Mashrafe Mortaza, and Mohammed Saifuddin. While World Cup stars Shakib and Das requested to be left out for personal reasons, Mortaza and Saifuddin were sidelined due to injury. Taijul Islam was picked in place of Shakib, while Anamul Haque replaced Das initially. Then, BCB were forced to replace Mortaza and Saifuddin with Taskin Ahmed and Farhad Reza respectively. Interim skipper, Iqbal, knows that the challenges that lie ahead but maintained that he is confident of a good showing.

"I think the series is very important and who are travelling with the team have a lot to prove because a lot of experienced cricketers are not going due to injury and other personal reasons. This series will be challenging. Sri Lanka is a very strong team at home but we have done well in the past so there is no reason why we can't do it this time,” Iqbal was quoted saying by Cricbuzz.

Personally, the opener had a poor World Cup, even in comparison to his team’s performances. The southpaw managed to score just 235 runs in eight innings in the World Cup at an average of 29.37. Although he was the third-highest run-scorer for Bangladesh after Shakib (606) and wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim (367), Iqbal sets much higher standards for himself. 

"I did not think that way [that leading the side will be an added pressure as I did not score runs in the World Cup and now it will be difficult to lead the side]. I could not play to my expectation [in the World Cup] but there is a new challenge ahead and I am hoping something good will happen, let's see,” Iqbal said.

Going forward, he was keen to put in the past in its place, and focus on the job at hand - three ODIs in the space of six days, starting on Friday.

"If you think about your failure all the time then you are likely to fail again, so I am thinking what is ahead instead of what had passed away. I am trying to figure out the positives now and what I am saying is that this series is very important and we are hoping to do well as a team," Iqbal concluded.