Bangladesh Twenty20 International captain Litton Das has declared that his team is aiming to reach the final of the upcoming Asian Games. Speaking ahead of the squad’s departure from Dhaka on September 24, the skipper expressed confidence in their preparations. The contingent is scheduled to travel to Japan in two separate groups, with the initial group of players and coaching staff leaving on Sunday evening and the remaining members departing later that night.
The tournament holds significant historical importance for the nation, as the men’s cricket gold at the 2010 Asian Games remains the country’s sole gold medal in the history of the event. Litton noted that the players are highly motivated by this legacy and are fully aware of the public’s hopes, especially given the country’s struggles to secure medals in other disciplines at the Games.
To prepare for the competition, the national team underwent fitness and skill training before playing two warm-up games at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur. Litton emphasized that these practice matches were crucial for rebuilding team chemistry, particularly since the squad had not played T20 cricket together since their last series in Zimbabwe.
“I feel we are very well prepared, and the target is definitely clear,” Litton told reporters after their second practice match on Wednesday, September 23. “Since we are going into a tournament, we want to reach the final and hopefully do something good there.” He added that while players regularly participate in franchise leagues and national assignments, the multi-sport event is a rare opportunity that everyone is excited to experience.
The squad has also been monitoring the ongoing women’s matches in Nagoya to analyze the local playing conditions. Bangladesh will bypass the early rounds of the competition and launch their campaign directly in the quarter-finals on September 29.
In squad development news, uncapped 29-year-old offspinner Aliss Al Islam has been called up to replace injured allrounder Mohammad Saifuddin. Saifuddin, who recently played in the unofficial ODI series for Bangladesh A in South Africa, was ruled out of the Asian Games because of a right hamstring injury. The report also notes that and we will all try to fulfil what would be a bigger dream for us,” said Litton, every player is excited. The report also notes that one thing I can say is that our players are very eager to play this tournament because it does not come around every year.
