Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto urged fans to lower their expectations from the national team ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup in West Indies and USA as it would allow them to play without pressure in the tournament.
Over the years, the Tigers have failed to live up to the fans鈥� expectations, most recently at the ICC World Cup 2023 where they finished eighth despite heading into the tournament with a semi-final berth as the goal, leading to harsh criticism.
Bangladesh will start their T20 World Cup campaign on June 8 against Sri Lanka in Dallas.
Before that, Shanto, who was appointed as the new captain of the national team in all three formats earlier this year, asked the fans to keep their hopes in check.
鈥楾here is always a lot of talking around the target and expectations ahead of a World Cup. I request you to not have high expectations. Everybody knows what they want, the players also know where they want to take the team,鈥� Shanto said in Gulshan during an occasion held by X Ceramics.
鈥楨verybody wants us to do something big. But personally, I don鈥檛 like it when there is too much anticipation around it because the results will be seen when it happens.鈥�
Before heading to the tournament, Bangladesh will face Zimbabwe in a five-match T20I series at home, which will begin on May 3 in Chattogram.
Shanto expected to have wickets similar to those they will play on in USA.
鈥榃e want to play on good wickets. We are hoping for the same wickets that we saw during the series against Sri Lanka. Still, we will try to play on similar wickets as the USA. Although I don鈥檛 think that it would be easy,鈥� he said.
The 25-year-old also believed that performing well against Zimbabwe would boost their morale ahead of the World Cup.
鈥楾his series [against Zimbabwe] is important. If we can finish the series on a good note and take that confidence up to the World Cup, it would be good for our team.鈥�
He also acknowledged that Bangladesh don鈥檛 have specialists for the team, thus reiterating their need to play as a team to find results.
鈥業 think we are playing as a team in T20Is as we don鈥檛 have specialist cricketers. When everybody contributes, we win more,鈥� Shanto said.
