Ireland head coach Heinrich Malan said on Sunday that they are not looking after results rather than focusing on the way they are progressing as a team but insisted they still feel they can upset the host in the three-match ODIs ahead of their series-deciding second game, slated at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium today.
Ireland lost the opening game by 183 runs and desperately need a win to remain alive in the series. Ahead of the second game, Ireland skipper Andrew Balbirnie said that they are not losing their sleep over the result and Malan echoed the same sentiment following their huge defeat.
“It is not the result that we are obviously after. I think it was a nice little opportunity for us to get a feel for the conditions. They were better than what we anticipated. It was a nice surface. It wasn’t as affected as we thought it would be. It is something that we identified and something we will rectify tomorrow (in the second game),” said Malan.
“The captain said that they are focusing on the way we play. Of course, it is about results. We understand international cricket is about winning and losing, but it is the way we go about our business,” he said.
“I think if you look at the last 12 months, the way we have tried to play has given us opportunities to beat some of the bigger sides. We beat England in the World Cup,” he said.
“We look at this series as one of those opportunities as well, to come here, in different conditions against a team that just beat the world champions and show what we got in the bank,” he said.
Malan added that they are well aware that Bangladesh are not only predominantly a spin-oriented side while adding that they are looking for ways to get some wickets in the middle overs.
“Look, let’s not look beyond the fact that Bangladesh have three quality seamers too. They highlighted last night that they have become a very good all-round side,” said Malan.
“We have to come up with one or two creative ways to get some quality players in the opposition under pressure,” he concluded.
