Bangladesh cricket team, affectionately known as the Tigers, embarked on their American adventure in the early hours of May 16th. This bilateral series with the USA served as a crucial part of their preparations for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, co-hosted by the States and the West Indies. The early arrival ensured ample time for the Tigers to acclimatise to the conditions in Dallas and New York, where they'll play their opening two matches.
Bangladesh have notched up four matches since then, although their encounter with the USA in Dallas was unfortunately washed out due to some rather unseasonal weather. This may have slightly disrupted their training schedule, but overall, the Tigers shouldn't have any excuses when it comes to adjusting to the American climate.
The biggest talking point surrounding the pitches has been their quality, with international media and pundits raising concerns about their subpar nature. However, Bangladesh did get a taste of the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York during a warm-up match against India. It's fair to say their batting display left a lot to be desired, and this will be a cause for concern for head coach Russell Domingo.
One advantage Bangladesh possess is having witnessed all their Group D rivals in action. South Africa comprehensively dismantled Sri Lanka in New York, exposing some serious vulnerabilities in the Lankans' batting line-up. Conversely, the Proteas themselves looked shaky when chasing down a modest total, highlighting that even the strong teams are susceptible on these unpredictable surfaces. Should the New York wickets turn out to be slow and sluggish, this could favour the Bangladesh bowling attack, despite their own recent struggles with the bat.
The Netherlands and Nepal played out a tight contest in Dallas, the very venue where Bangladesh will begin their World Cup campaign against Sri Lanka on June 8th.
This serves as a reminder that these supposedly weaker teams can't be taken lightly, particularly in the contrasting conditions of the West Indies.
Bangladesh vice-captain Taskin Ahmed even admitted his surprise at the nature of the Dallas pitch, suggesting it wasn't quite what they were expecting.
With the clock ticking down to their opening match, the focus for Bangladesh will be on sharpening their mental state and ensuring they're in the right frame of mind come the 8th of June. This World Cup opener could very well define the Tigers' entire tournament, so a strong start is absolutely paramount.
