'We can stun India in final'

The Bangladesh national team cricketers enjoyed a well-deserved day off yesterday. It was the least that the team management could do after the players pulled off a stunning victory against Pakistan and booked themselves a spot in the final.

And so it wasn't a surprise to witness a completely different scenario at the team hotel yesterday.

With the pads and bats stored away and the gym sessions on hold, the players seemed a lot more relaxed. At the hotel, some of them spent time at the pool, while others preferred sitting in their rooms and watching TV.

A majority of the players though, those based in Dhaka, left the hotel and decided to visit their families. With the schedule for the last few months packed with tours and training sessions, a number of the players have barely found time to spend quality time at their homes.

Soumya Sarkar and Taskin Ahmed left the hotel with smiles on their faces and it was obvious that they were looking forward to the day-long break.

It was the same in the case of the senior players. From Mashrafe Bin Mortaza to Mahmudullah Riyad, there seemed to be a sense of relief amongst them all.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) was so adamant to keep the players away from any sort of cricketing activities that they had even asked each of the players not to speak to the media. It was only after repeated requests that the management decided to let Taskin Ahmed speak to reporters.

The press conference was arranged in an impromptu fashion and took place at Taskin's home. The youngster, who was a good host, welcomed more than a dozen journalists, both from Bangladesh and abroad.

A confident Taskin believes the hosts have the capability to stun India in the final on Sunday.

"Look we have been preparing for the Asia Cup from two months before the start of the tournament and we played the last two matches quite well. All these aspects have increased our confidence.

"We are growing in strength with each game. If we can play our best, then I am sure it will be a good final for us," said Taskin.

Since Bangladesh have reached the final of the Asia Cup, set to take place on March 6, they will only get a day's rest in Dharamsala before they face the Netherlands for their first World Twenty20 encounter on March 9.

Some believe that it could prove to be a hindrance to Bangladesh's World Cup campaign, considering that they are just getting a day to adjust to the conditions there. Taskin though, wasn't concerned about the issue.

"Conditions are an important factor in cricket, no doubt. But the confidence that we have attained after winning these matches will help us a lot and is more important. I believe that if we can execute properly, then we will be able to do well in any condition," he said.