Shakib counting on ‘good memories’, ‘crowd’ and ‘momentum’ to down SA
Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan was confident that his side can snatch a win against South Africa in their upcoming Super 12 fixture in Sydney tomorrow and pointed out a few factors that might play a role in achieving that.
"We will go out there to win. It is a very important game for us and also for South Africa," Shakib said at the pre-match press conference on Wednesday.
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Shakib pointed out that the Proteas will be under a bit of pressure given that they saw their first game against Zimbabwe washed out, denying them all two points from a game that they dominated throughout.
"As they were expecting to get a point more [from their game against Zimbabwe earlier], this game is almost a do-or-die contest for them. So, they will be under a little pressure whereas we will be going into this match after winning the first game [against the Netherlands]," Shakib said.
The 35-year-old all-rounder also hoped spinners to get more purchases at the Sydney Cricket Ground tomorrow.
"Also, this is a ground where we might prefer to play. Usually, this ground lends more help to spinners than any other ground in Australia. But then again, ICC tries to prepare true wickets in tournaments so that there is a balance. So, we will plan accordingly. As I said already, we will try to approach the game with an open mind, have a good mindset, and enjoy the game," Shakib added.
Bangladesh have had success against South Africa in the ODI format recently. The Tigers registered their maiden series win over the Proteas in their backyard in March this year. Bangladesh also beat South Africa convincingly in the ICC Men's 50-over World Cup in 2019.
Shakib said that those memories and the support of the Bangladeshi expats in Sydney could do the trick tomorrow.
"There is no denying that they have a few world-class players in their side. But the game will be played with bat and ball and we will try to put in our best performance. We have some good memories against them, albeit in a different format, but we hope those will help us mentally.
"We are also hopeful that we will get a good crowd who will support us, and hope to repay their support. As most Bangladeshi expats live in Sydney, so it will be important for us to utilise their support and perform well," Shakib said.
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