A win against India is crucial for us heading into the World Cup: Hathurusingha

Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha said on Friday that he was thrilled to see his troops put in a team effort and complete their Asia Cup campaign with a win over India.

"That was one of our most satisfying wins recently." It was encouraging to see that the majority of the players contributed to the victory. We had several individual performances in this Asia Cup series, but no group effort. So, this game was a true collaborative effort, which was quite satisfying," Hathurusingha told reporters after their game in Colombo on Friday.

"This victory over India is crucial for us as we prepare for a tournament like the World Cup." It gives us a lot of hope, especially in light of what transpired in this tournament. We had a great run up to the Asia Cup, but to be honest, we struggled to put in a team effort. As I already stated, I am not making excuses, but we played in different conditions in Kandy and Lahore before returning to play on this surface. We had injuries and fitness concerns at critical times. The best part for me is seeing the depth of our other players and allowing three guys an opportunity to shine. We're thinking about World Cup selection, and it gives us a lot of options for selecting the 15 players.

"This victory over India gives us a lot of confidence and a little more faith in our combination." We were quite concerned about obtaining a solid start in this event, which we did not achieve. We were three down in most games, and we didn't get any runs from the tail-enders. Today, however, was different, and such situations increase our confidence as we approach into the World Cup."

So, is Bangladesh's World Cup squad set? "No, I haven't gotten many responses from this victory." Fortunately, I did get some, and we have another series coming up," the coach remarked. "As I have stated, our primary issue was not getting off to a solid start in most games. It's difficult to play in these conditions because most teams struggle when the ball turns more. "However, some of the boys stood out with outstanding performances," he continued.

Hathurusingha went on to say that he is impressed with how the Bangladesh tail-enders performed with the bat, allowing them to record a competitive total. They rallied from 197/7 to 265/8 thanks to Nasum Ahmed's 44 and undefeated scores of 29 and 14 from Mahedi Hasan and debutant pace-bowling all-rounder Tanzim Hasan Sakib, who also pleased the coach with his bowling.

"The late-arriving players gave us a real fighting chance." "At one point, we were around 190 for seven, so this change in performance, with runs from the tail-enders, allowed us to stay in the game longer," Hathurusingha explained.

Tanzim Sakib made a solid argument for his inclusion in the 15-man World Cup squad by taking two early wickets and throwing a range of balls flawlessly, despite making his ODI debut. No surprise, the coach was overjoyed with his performance.

"I don't believe Tanzim Sakib jeopardised his chances." He certainly stood out as a candidate for World Cup selection. We were considering keeping with our four quick bowlers until now, especially because Ebadot was unavailable. Tanzim, on the other hand, demonstrated his ability. I have no reservations about depending on or picking him for the World Cup squad. I don't believe he'll jeopardise his chances."

Hathurusingha also mentioned Mahedi. "As a cricketer, I was very impressed with Mahedi's approach to the game and his confidence while bowling." In this game, he had some key overs. Whenever Shubman Gill appeared to be taking control of the game, Mahedi's brilliance brought us back. I haven't seen much of him, but what I have seen of him has been stunning."

Hathurusingha stated that Mustafizur Rahman, who bowled brilliantly in his comeback game against India, had not been dropped. Instead, Mustafizur hadn't played much recently because the team was rotating its players.

"What do you mean, relief?" responded the Sri Lankan coach when a journalist asked if seeing Mustafizur among the wickets was a relief after his absence since the Asia Cup opener against Sri Lanka.

"He (Mustafizur) was not discharged." We've been rotating our players in preparation for the World Cup. If you look back at our previous series, you'll notice that we've been making sure everyone is match-ready. He was the most experienced of the group, thus he sat out the most. "I'm aware of what he's capable of, so seeing him perform isn't a relief," Hathurusingha said, adding that he was upset Towhid Hridoy didn't capitalise on his fifty against India.

After being reduced to 59-4 by the Indian bowlers, Shakib and Hridoy scored 101 runs for the fifth wicket, creating the groundwork for a competitive total against the tournament favourites.

"At the moment, he's very clear about his role and his game. Since his T20 debut, he has consistently scored. However, I was disappointed with him (Hridoy) today because he left too soon after turning fifty. He could have played a longer inning, but he understands his job and game," Hathurusingha remarked.

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