We have the ability to win: Mahmudullah

So far Bangladesh have been far from impressive in New Zealand. The Tigers are still struggling to put their best foot forward on the demanding trip as they lost all three ODIs as well as the first T20I of the three-match series. Taking a bus drive from Napier, where they suffered a six-wicket defeat to the home side in the first T20I on Tuesday, the Mashrafe Bin Mortaza-led team reached the harbourside city of Tauranga last evening.

The team reached there with renewed hopes to turn the table while they play the remaining two T20 International matches on January 6 and 8 respectively at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui; a major residential, commercial and industrial suburb of Tauranga, located on a peninsula to the north-east of Tauranga 's city centre.

“Definitely we still have a chance. We have the belief in ourselves as we have the ability and strength to beat New Zealand,” said Mahmudullah Riyad yesterday morning, while talking to reporters before leaving Napier.

“If we can correct the small mistakes we made in the previous matches then we have a good chance to win the match. We need to perform as a team and at this moment it's our target to perform as a team. I think that we are improving as a team but it's always a tough challenge away from home,” he continued.

Riyad, who got back among the runs with a 52-run innings in the first T20I after failing in the three-match ODI series, rued squandering the opportunities they have so far created on tour.

“We have created an opportunity even in the last game but unfortunately we failed to capitalise on it. New Zealand are a strong team on their home soil but we went close in the last few matches but failed to build on the good platforms. So we have to capitalise on the opportunities,” said Riyad.

Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza is given a hearty welcome from Bangladeshi expats in New Zealand upon the team's arrival at their hotel in Tauranga yesterday. The Tigers will play the second T20I against the hosts at the nearby Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui tomorrow. PHOTO: BCB

He also said that they would need to make a fresh start and a good start is always important for success.

Regarding the first T20I, Riyad said that they didn't have the experience of playing such a peculiar ground and they were 15 to 20 runs short.