Expectations among the common people of Bangladesh have risen quite a bit since the Tigers progressed to the Super Eight stage of the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup.
Bangladesh have already achieved their best result in a single edition of the T20 World Cup after winning three games in the group phase that helped them book their berth in the last eight of the tournament.
Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha is well aware of the cricketing culture prevailing in this part of the globe.
Hathurusingha insisted that they are not losing their sleep over their chances of playing in the semifinal considering they are happy to progress beyond the group stage and urged his charges to play with freedom as he claimed that anything that they will achieve in the Super Eight is a bonus for them.
Hathurusingha looks determined not to put any baggage of expectations on the shoulders of his charges as they prepare to take on Australia in their opening game of the ongoing T20 World Cup Super Eight phase, scheduled in Antigua today.
“When we came into the tournament, our first target was to get into this Super 8. So, I think we achieved that with great, what can I say, our bowlers kept us in the game? So, we played in the conditions really well, used the conditions in our favour,” Hathurusingha told reporters ahead of their game against Australia on Wednesday.
“So going forward for us, being here, we’re very happy to be here. And then anything from here for us is a bonus. So, we play with a lot of freedom. And we are going to challenge all three teams, the best we can,” he said.
Hathurusingha said that he would like his charges to enjoy their game in the Super Eight phase but added that they should not feel that they were given a free license and should focus on fulfilling their role in the team.
“This game, why did we start playing this game? To enjoy. So that fact of enjoyment, we don't take it away from the players. How big is the game? That doesn’t mean that they have free licenses to go and do whatever they want.
“They have a particular role to play in the team and to do that role is yes, they have freedom and then enjoyment always whether we play for your country or club cricket or the park cricket that’s why we start playing this game. So, the enjoyment factor is always in our forefront, but they have to do their role for the team,” he added.