No shortage of quality or experience in this side: Domingo

Bangladesh's head coach said the upcoming tri-nation series will serve as an opportunity to prepare a roadmap for his team for the T20 World Cup © BCB

Russell Domingo, Bangladesh's head coach, will use the upcoming tri-nation series involving Afghanistan and Zimbabwe to prepare a roadmap for the ICC T20 World Cup. Bangladesh lost their one-off Test against Afghanistan and are seeking a revival in the tri-nation series where they will clash against Zimbabwe first-up. However, for Domingo, it is more than just about making a comeback.

"Absolutely, we need to set our World Cup roadmap from this series," Domingo said on Thursday (September 12). "I think there are twenty games now, which sounds a lot but that is not as many because you always are not going to make it. Two or three games might be rained off and we might end up playing 15 or 16 games leading to the World Cup. So let's start planning (now) because we got some places to develop prior to the World Cup and try and give them as much experience under pressure as we possibly can."

Shakib Al Hasan had expressed his reluctance to carry on as Bangladesh's Test captain following their embarrassing 224-run defeat to Afghanistan. Shakib blatantly stated that it'll be ideal for his game if he didn't have to lead. "It's interesting. I actually spoke to Shakib and asked him what is the favourite format for Bangladesh? And he said fifty-over cricket. I said why, then he said that's the format they have grown up playing. Lot of school cricket, lot of club cricket - that's the format they play more. There is a lot of work to be done in Twenty20 and Test cricket - actually in all formats. But particularly in the Test-match format and Twenty20 format, these two formats require attention in the next couple of months. Fortunately, there is not a lot of one-day cricket and there is lot of Test and Twenty20 cricket, so we can try to improve in those formats," he said.

"I will try to make a difference from now. I am trying to give some inputs. I am sitting down with visuals of the players and trying to work on areas that need improvement. And talk about particular areas. The captain talked to me. He came up with suggestions. He knows the players more than I know at this stage. So the captain comes up with suggestions and I am going to support and back him one hundred percent." he added.

Domingo also added that he is hopeful Bangladesh will make a comeback in the Twenty20 series considering their vast experience in white-ball cricket. "When it comes to white-ball cricket, Bangladesh can beat anybody on the given day. We got some world-class performers in our side. Just look at the experience of the team. In the 50-over World Cup, Bangladesh were the second-most experienced team. So there is no shortage of quality and no shortage of experience in this particular side. I think if we play to our potential, we will be very hard to beat."

An opportunity for Zimbabwe to let their cricket do the talking

Zimbabwe, who Bangladesh will clash against in the series opener, were recently suspended by the ICC, allowing them only to participate in bilateral and tri-lateral events against other ICC members. Domingo said that he is not taking them for granted as he believes they will be eager to prove themselves and make a point in the series.

"The team that often faces adversity or crisis, puts some outstanding performance together. It can either destroy a team or can unite a team. They come from a southern part of Africa and I am from South Africa and I have no doubt the struggles that are now with Zimbabwe at the moment will unify the team to go forward," he said.

Zimbabwe skipper Hamilton Masakadza echoed the sentiment, adding that they want to leave behind their board's problem with the ICC. "Obviously lot of things have happened but that's all behind the scenes," Hamilton said on the eve of the game. "At the end of the day as cricketers, our job is to get on the field and play the best cricket on the field. That's how we are judged on, not what's happening with the board. First and main thing is to concentrate on cricket and then put our best foot forward going out and do your job for your country tomorrow,'' he said.

"Afghanistan have been playing very good Twenty20 cricket and Bangladesh being at home (are a tough team). Though I know the both sides are very strong, we have a lot of successes in Twenty20 cricket here. I think we have played really well in Twenty20 internationals here in Bangladesh. So I don't think we are far behind them at all," he added.