Bangladesh captain, Shakib Al Hasan, is looking forward to a strong performance from his team in the upcoming Asia Cup. He emphasized the importance of approaching each match individually rather than setting specific targets for the tournament. Shakib expressed these views during a press conference held in Mirpur on Saturday, just before the team’s departure for Sri Lanka.

The Bangladesh team is set to commence their Asia Cup journey in Group B, facing off against Sri Lanka in Kandy on August 31. This matchup will take place a day after the tournament’s start, featuring six competing teams. Following this, the team will head to Pakistan, where they will compete against Afghanistan in Lahore on September 3.

In the competition’s format, the top two teams from each group will advance to the Super 4 stage. Notably, Group A includes India, Pakistan, and Nepal.

Shakib Al Hasan expressed confidence in the team’s potential, given their preparation and squad composition. He stated, “With the squad we have and the kind of preparation we have taken, we should do well in the Asia Cup. We want to go match by match, not set a specific target for ourselves. We will try to win every match if possible.”

While Shakib’s approach is centered on taking it one match at a time, Coach Chandika Hathurusingha articulated a slightly more specific target for the team. He highlighted that the initial goal is to overcome the first-round challenges.

Shakib drew from his experience with the Galle Titans in the Lanka Premier League, where he played alongside Towhid Hridoy and Shoriful Islam. He anticipates high-scoring encounters in the Asia Cup due to the nature of the pitches. Shakib remarked, “The pitches there should produce a lot of runs, which is a good thing for the batters but also a challenge for them. The pitches where we will play will be a bit different from the ones we played in the LPL, but overall the nature of the wickets will remain the same.”