'Next 2-3 years will be Tigers' golden era'

After his return to Dhaka after a long break on Wednesday night, the Bangladesh national cricket team's coach Chandika Hathurusingha portrayed a bright picture of the future of Bangladesh cricket. 

“I think Bangladesh’s golden era is going to be the next two-three years because the players of the calibre of Tamim [Tamim Iqbal], Shakib [Al Hasan], Mashrafe [Mashrafe Bin Mortaza], Mushfiqur [Mushfiqur Rahim] and Riyad [Mahmudullah Riyad] are there now. 

“This is the time they have to use their experience and consistently perform in international cricket; so that’s going to be exciting as well as challenging because in the next two years we will play more cricket overseas. In the last two years we played more at home. We will see how much Bangladesh cricket can develop,” said the former Sri Lanka Test cricketer while speaking to the media at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Thursday.

The Bangladesh coach responded on various issues from the performance of young players in the ongoing Dhaka Premier League (DPL) to the young pace sensation Mustafizur Rahman. 

Chandika opined that his inclusion in the selection panel will make things easier for him while he was also looking forward to the challenge in next year's ICC trophy in England where they have been been drawn in Group A with hosts England, Australia and New Zealand.

“It’s tough because we are playing the host country and then Australia and New Zealand. They are the best, I think one and two in ODI cricket, so we are in the toughest group. So we are looking forward to the challenge and we have to be prepared thoroughly.”
On Mustafizur he said: “The challenge for us is to look after him and keep him fit for Bangladesh cricket.”