Tigers’ last chance to build momentum before T20 WC

Bangladesh will take on India in their last warm-up match ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York today, hoping to generate some momentum before their tournament opener against Sri Lanka.

With their earlier warm-up fixture against the USA abandoned due to poor weather, today's game will present Najmul Hossain Shanto and Co the last opportunity to test themselves against a quality side and find some grip on the handle after awkward performances in the last T20I series against the USA.

The wickets were in particular focus as the Tigers went through the grind during a practice session on Thursday at Cantiague Park. The wickets are a shot in the dark for Bangladesh and perhaps many of the other teams and it was their first chance, albeit in the nets, to get a feel of those wickets.

"It's unbelievable, it's crazy when I saw the stadium and the wickets. We all know basketball and baseball are popular here but didn't know cricket would get such attention. There was nothing here and it looks like a proper stadium [now]," Shanto said on the Nassau Country International Cricket Stadium in an ICC video.

The wickets at the Cantiague Park were part of the same pitches brought in from Australia but it remains to be seen how they hold up at the game today in New York.

There was good news as Taskin Ahmed has started bowling since the injury. The Tigers are however unlikely to risk their vice-captain before the World Cup.

The wickets were also in the agenda for ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who batted for a while at the nets, adjusting to the wickets.

Shakib in a BCB video yesterday said that this T20 World Cup may not be his last. The all-rounder also agreed that the USA has become his second home and felt that the wickets in both the USA and the West Indies might just favour Bangladesh.

"It is true that the USA is my second home but it is difficult to say whether we will get home advantage. I think we will get it because earlier when we played in the West Indies, we did well and when we played in Florida we did well there too. We always get some favour in West Indies because those pitches are quite similar to ours. I hope we will get advantage in both places," he said.

Bangladesh won the ODI and T20I series against the West Indies back in 2018 in Florida and they would be keen on replicating that high in this T20 World Cup.

Shakib, who has taken part in all eight previous editions of the T20 World Cup, also gave his verdict on the format.

"I think as far as change is concerned, I think this format [T20] is an extension of ODI, it's like a curtailed over ODI game. The crowd likes it because it is exciting. The only thing that I feel is that the competition between bat and ball should be equal and it should not be one-sided. Normally, that has never been the case in World Cups and I feel it would be the same this time round," he said hoping that the wickets would help both batters and bowlers in the tournament.

The warm-up fixture between Bangladesh and India is slated to begin at 8:30 PM Bangladesh time today.