Still trying to find our perfect game ahead of tri-series final, says Russell Domingo
Bangladesh cricket head coach Russell Domingo has stated that they have not played their best game yet and are improving in some areas where they are still average. Domingo is already looking forward towards the World T20 in Australia next year and preparing his strategies according it.
Russell Domingo, the Bangladesh head coach, said that his side is still searching for the 'perfect game' ahead of the tri-series final versus Afghanistan in Dhaka on Tuesday.
The home side, however, will take positives from their four-wicket victory over Afghanistan in the last game of the round-robin phase even though coach Domingo believes there is a lot to improve in their game. "We haven't played the perfect game of cricket yet," Domingo told reporters. "We have been good in certain areas and average in certain areas. We are still trying to find the perfect game,” he added.
Domingo is particularly disappointed with the early loss of wickets, he believes they can finish better if they go into the 15th over with two wickets down. “We lose too many wickets in the first 10 overs. We have to get to the 15th over with two wickets down, so that we have a platform for the last five overs," he said.
Domingo admitted that Afghanistan have a good side, with a string of spinners in their ranks to cause problems on slow turners of Bangladesh but he is confident that his side can shock any opponent if they play to their potentials.
For the summit clash, in the tri-nation series, Bangladesh would most likely be without the services of their batting all-rounder, Aminul Islam. Aminul, who had a promising T20I debut versus Zimbabwe, was hit on his finger by a forceful shot from Hamilton Masakadza and he hurt the same finger again against Srilanka on August 27.
Domingo is not comfortable playing with a player who is anything less than 100 percent. He fears that the injury can come in the way of a player committing towards his team."
“I am very reluctant to go into games with a guy who has some sort of an injury. There can be a tough catch, or if he tries to stop the first ball off his own bowling and the stitches come off again?”
Mushfiqur Rahim is set to remain as the wicketkeeper despite making a few errors during the course of the tri-series as Domingo believes he is a senior player and his influence on the game from behind the wickets outweigh the few errors made.
Considering the T20 World Cup in Australia and the good performances of the seamers against Afghanistan, Domingo reckoned that they will add another pace bowler to the 12-member squad.
"It is not a Bangladesh way of doing things [adding a fourth seamer]. My thinking is where we are going to play the World Cup in a year's time. We are playing in Australia and I can't see us playing one or two-seamers there. We have to play at least three or four fast bowlers in Australia. Winning now is important, but we also have to think of what is in the best interests of the team going forward. It is a fine line to balance it," he concluded.