With their six-wicket win in the second ODI against India, Bangladesh did not only seal the three-match series but also achieved something bigger – a place in the next Champions Trophy.
The series win has taken them ahead of West Indies and Pakistan on the ICC ODI Rankings, thus giving them a shot at the mini World Cup.
For Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza, it was a moment he would cherish for a long time. “It's a great moment for us. To be playing in the Champions Trophy is a big achievement for us,” he said after the second ODI. “Every time we were shaken someone took over. That is a big thing.”
After shocking India twice in a row, Mortaza now wants a certain level of consistency from his men in order to prove this is more than just a euphoric phase in Bangladesh cricket.
“It has been very significant. But we have many series coming up and hopefully we can keep on performing like this,” he said. “Winning a match does not mean that we are playing perfect cricket. There's always a room for improvement since I believe we are still improving as a side.
“Every win is important for us because I think we are still improving and hopefully it will continue. Definitely this win against India is a big achievement.
“Boys are very confident in the way they are playing. We never expected that we will be able to win the series but we were always sure will fight till the last ball. Obviously, we knew that if we guys play our best, we will be able to give competition to India and probably can also win,” Mortaza said of the belief the team has instilled within themselves in recent times.
With belief comes the courage to play fearlessly, and Bangladesh showed that in the two ODIs. “On maximum days, we want to play aggressively. My plan has always been to play an aggressive brand of cricket,” Mortaza said.
“When you win, a lot of things come to you. Hopefully, the boys will take care of it and deliver match by match. The boys are playing fearless cricket at the moment and that's the significant change I have seen. They are not scared to play the shots, they are not scared to put the fielder up and bowl and put the slips on in this kind of wicket. We are playing all-round good cricket. As long as the confidence is there, we will continue playing like this.”
