Litton Urges Senior Batters to Step Up Ahead of Tri-Series
Bangladesh skipper Litton Kumar Das has called on his senior batters to take greater responsibility, citing recent struggles in ODI cricket. The team faces Zimbabwe in the opening match of the tri-nation series in Abu Dhabi on October 17, followed by hosts Afghanistan on October 21.
Recent batting performances against both opponents have raised concerns. Bangladesh failed to bat through 50 overs in any of their three matches against Afghanistan in their most recent ODI series and also struggled to complete their innings during their previous series against Zimbabwe.
“As senior players, we have to take responsibility. We could not bat for 50 overs here (against Afghanistan in the ODIs) and we could not do it in Zimbabwe either,” Litton said. “As a batting unit, our responsibility is to make sure that those of us batting in the top six or seven can finish the game.”
Litton emphasized the need to move past past setbacks, urging teammates to maintain a positive mindset. “What has happened previously can help us prepare and we cannot keep focusing on the fact that we played badly before and will do so again. Our mindset has to remain positive, and we will try to play positively.”
The skipper also identified the right time to bring mystery spinner Aliss Al Islam into the ODI setup, noting the youngster could benefit from time with the national team. Aliss made his international debut in T20 cricket against Sri Lanka at the Asian Games. His maiden ODI call-up follows an impressive domestic season where he claimed 24 wickets in 10 matches for Prime Bank Cricket Club in the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League, finishing as the tournament's leading wicket-taker.
“Definitely, if you look at Aliss, he has been very good in white-ball cricket. He has proved himself, especially in the T20 circuit in Bangladesh,” said Litton. “I think this is the right time to bring him into the team. If he can learn a lot by staying with the team and contributing to Bangladesh, it will be beneficial for the team.”
Litton views the tri-nation ODI series in the UAE as a key opportunity to win silverware and build momentum ahead of next year's Asia Cup and ODI World Cup.
“Really, it's a big opportunity for me as a captain. We have the World Cup and Asia Cup coming up. I think this is the best preparation for us. The Asia Cup will involve five or six teams, while in a tri-series we play three teams, but the pressure and other things are similar,” said Litton, who begins his tenure as Bangladesh's full-time ODI captain with this tournament.
Asked if Bangladesh could win the title, Litton remained optimistic: “Definitely, if we play good cricket, why not?”
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