Litton hails Bangladesh's fielding after series win

Bangladesh T20I captain Litton Kumar Das said on Tuesday that their fielding was the biggest positive from the just-concluded three-match T20I series against Ireland, which the hosts won 2-1.

Bangladesh bounced back with two successive wins after losing the series opener, riding on some brilliant fielding. They pulled off outstanding catches and were noticeably sharper on the ground.

"Normally, this team doesn't field exceptionally well," Litton said after the game. "But in these three games, we took many brilliant catches. Fielding was definitely a positive."

He added that he was happy to seal the series. "Before the series, we wanted to feel under pressure and convert that pressure into successful games. We couldn't do it in the first game. But by winning two games back-to-back, we managed to win the series," he said.

Litton also said he had resolved his differences with chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain, after taking a swipe at him for not picking Shamim Hossain in the first two matches. Shamim was later drafted in for the final T20I.

"In a heated moment, many things happened on both sides," he said. "What happened is not good for cricket. But we sat down and talked nicely afterward, that was a good thing."

Litton brushed aside rumours about stepping down from captaincy. "This is something no cricket player would do; in fact, I won't either," he said. "I have led a team so far and brought it to this position. Every player dreams of the World Cup… so no, it will never happen."

He said he wasn't concerned about Towhid Hridoy's form, adding that his only worry ahead of the T20 World Cup was player fitness.

"Hridoy struggled for big runs for a long time. But in this series, he got big runs," he pointed out. "Every player is capable; they just need time."

"We have tried many things. We filled gaps. Match situations for those who don't play regularly, that's very important," he said. "I think the core 15 or 16 players are almost ready for the T20 World Cup."

The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), he added, would now be their final proving ground.

"My only concern is injury, and a player getting injured before a major tournament is a very bad sign… pray that doesn't happen," he concluded.