DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, CMC – Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan has predicted a good run for his side in the upcoming Cricket World Cup, following their impressive showing in the Caribbean showpiece three years ago.
Bangladesh, along with India and Sri Lanka, will play hosts to the 2011 edition of the World Cup, scheduled to run from February 12 to April 2. The Tigers have been grouped with West Indies, South Africa, England, India, Ireland and the Netherlands in Group B of the tournament.
“We will go into the World Cup knowing and believing that we can progress far. It is not like the 2007 tournament where some of us were teenagers and we did not know what to expect,” Shakib said.
“Now there’s more maturity and calm in the group and importantly, we are unearthing world-class performers. It won’t be easy for any side to come to our backyard and get a result against us if we can put in a team performance.”
He added: “I just get this feeling that the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 is going to be huge for Bangladesh. When I see the kind of individual performances some of us have put up in ODIs in recent times I find genuine reasons to feel optimistic.”
Bangladesh were one of the surprises of the last tournament in the Caribbean, shocking one of pre-tournament favourites India in the opening round with a five-wicket win in Port of Spain.
They beat Bermuda to reach the Super Eight, second round where they stunned South Africa by 67 runs in Georgetown to crown a worthwhile campaign.
Shakib said another impressive in the Asian event would do be huge fillip for his side.
“In 2007 we took the world by storm when we reached the Super Eight and knocked over India and South Africa along the way,” he said.
“Now every young kid in Bangladesh aspires to become a cricketer. A solid campaign next year for us would mean a fresh cricket revolution.”
