Taskin expects 'sporting wicket' against Pakistan

 DHAKA -Bangladesh fast bowler Taskin Ahmed expected

sporting wicket where batters and bowlers will get same advantage as his side
gears up for the upcoming series against Pakistan.

   "Fast bowlers always want to play in pace-friendly wicket and I am no
exception but as we said, in white-ball cricket, rarely we are given our
desired wicket," Taskin said here today.

   "In different part of the world, we saw, white-ball cricket is played on
sporting wicket where batters and bowlers get same advantage. I am expecting
sporting wicket in Mirpur this time. Whatever the condition is, it is
challenging to cope with the condition. I am learning to how I can cope with
all kind of condition. In fact it is my challenge with myself," he added.

   The Tigers will play three-match T20 Internationals and two Tests against
Pakistan in the series. All of the three T20Is will be held in Sher-e-Bangla
National Cricket Stadium, which hosted two T20 series against Australia and
New Zealand ahead of the Twenty20 World Cup.

   Bangladesh prepared a slow and low wicket in Sher-e-Bangla to beat both of
the sides for the first time in T20 series. Instead of being praised for the
victory, Bangladesh were criticized heavily to prepare such kind of designed
wicket. Bangladesh paid the price eventually, being crushed devastatingly in
Twenty20 World Cup while Australia and New Zealand, the two losing teams to
Bangladesh made it to the final.

   Taskin however said a good wicket is imperative for the improvement of the
pacers.

   He drew the example of Pakistan, saying: "Ethnically many fast bowlers
come from Pakistan and many legendary fast bowlers have played since the 90s.
There are still good fast bowlers. We are comparatively behind them. Even
though our condition is different than them, we are also improving."

   Taskin alone has made the lion's share of the progress that Bangladesh's
fast bowlers have made in the last one year.

   A right hand pacer who wants to be faster and accurate never got the
condition o his likings. Experts said the lack of adequate facilities has
hampered the pacers progress. Pace-friendly wickets are rarely given on home
soil. The National League is the country's leading domestic cricket league
but the pacers get little opportunity there. Their job is to make the ball
old and give it to the spinners. Sometimes they don't even get a chance to
bowl with the new ball.

   Leaving aside those issues, Taskin focused on fitness to improve his
bowling. His hard work for his bowling was evidenced in his performance in
the sporting wicket in United Arab Emirates (UAE) during Twenty20 World Cup
where he made the ball talking, zipped it past the batters, swung it both
ways with raw pace. South Africa and Australia batters felt his wrath even
though Bangladesh were bowled below 100 in those two matches.

   Taskin recalled the hard work behind the success, saying, 'Honestly, the
process of improving bowling has been going on for the last 2-3 years. It
didn't happen in two-and-a-half months. I have been struggling for this for
the last 2-3 years. It is now better than before. I'm still in the process. I
haven't learned much or done much yet. My speed and length have been more
consistent than before. But I'm still learning. Domestic and foreign coaches
are helping me a lot. My dream is to be a world class bowler, a great quality
bowler in the future. That's why I'm keeping the process right. Good and bad
will happen. But I want to keep the process right. "

   Shaheen Shah Afridi, Hasan Ali, Harris Rauf are big names in world cricket
even though they started their careers long after Taskin.

   But Taskin had no ego problem as he wants to increase his efficiency and
horizon by talking to them in the upcoming series.

   "Since we will play the series together, we will talk to them if the
opportunity arises," said Taskin. "They can share something that can benefit
our fast bowlers. They have all kinds of fast bowlers in all formats. They
are getting another level of fast bowler from Asian conditions - it is
inspiring. Of course, their condition also plays a role. I hope we will have
good fast bowlers like them."BSS