Mashrafe demands fearless approach

04 July 2015 12:46

Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza wants his side to forget their miserable record against South Africa and play with confidence in Sunday's opening Twenty20 international in Mirpur.

South Africa have won 23 of their 24 international meetings in all formats against Bangladesh, whose only victory came during the ICC World Cup in 2007 when a 67-run win knocked the Proteas off top spot in the world rankings.

The last time the two countries met was at the 2011 World Cup in Mirpur when South Africa won by 206 runs after bowling Bangladesh out for just 78, but Mashrafe is hoping for a different story this time.

Mashrafe, whose side beat Pakistan in their last T20I in April, told the Dhaka Daily Star: "They haven't seen how we have played recently, but we see them all the time. I think they don't have time to see us either .

"Yes record-wise we are in a bad situation. But that is a thing of the past. Now we are playing well as a team. I am not saying that we will surely achieve a lot but we have done well.

"The only option for us is to play confidently. There is no other option. If we feel scared then it's good to sit at home.

"Yes, one can be a little scared but he should use that feeling to perform better. When you enter the field you should keep the fear factor outside and concentrate on your own performance. That's it."

South Africa warmed up for the first of two T2Is - which precede three ODIs and two Tests between the nations - with a comprehensive eight-wicket victory over a Bangladesh Cricket Board XI on Friday.

The Proteas did not even lose a wicket as they romped home with 48 balls to spare, with openers Q uinton de Kock and AB de Villiers retiring out having made 35 and 25 respectively before JP Duminy and David Miller saw the team home.

Captain Faf du Plessis admits it was a good way to start their tour, but is expecting things to be much tougher against the national team.

He said: "Pretty good to have had a good start yesterday but we also appreciate that their main side will be a lot harder. Yesterday was just a basic practice session for us.

"We adjusted to the heat, so it was a pretty good day yesterday. But we are not going to celebrate too much knowing that tomorrow will be a lot more difficult."

He added of their opponents: "The nice thing about the Bangladeshi team at the moment is the new guys coming through and that can sometimes in T20 cricket be dangerous, because you haven't seen or played against them."

Both South Africa and Bangladesh go into the series having won their last T20I but having lost their previous four before that.

Source: PA