5 November - Delhi - Bangladesh Head Coach Chandika Hathurusinghe pre-match press conference
[Reporter:]
Nic [Pothas] was coach of the Sri Lankan team back in 2017 when they had travelled to India here in Delhi for a Test series. So has he shared any of those experiences with you regarding the air quality and what all happened then. Are those experiences pretty similar to what's happening right now?
[Chandika Hathurusingha:]
Yes, he spoke about the situation back then. Yeah, we were a little bit concerned. That's why we cancelled one practice session as well. So, we are trying to minimize our exposure to the outdoor much as possible because we need to practice as well as well as that we have to be careful long-term effect of this condition.
[Reporter:]
Well, air quality could well be a problem for both the teams. So that apart, how do you look forward to the game against the Lankans? Your record has not exactly been great against Sri Lanka.
[Chandika Hathurusingha:]
Yeah, air quality is, as you said, rightly it's affecting both teams. And it's not ideal, but we have no choice. We have to play in the condition in front of us. But pitch and the ground look immaculate. I think one of the best pitches that we're probably going to play this World Cup. As you said, Sri Lanka has and Bangladesh have played really good matches recent past. The thing is, both teams in a really similar situation, to be honest, are trying to finish high as possible because we have lost opportunity to get into the semi-final now.
But still the Champions Trophy [qualification] is up for grabs we need to finish high as possible. So, this game has a big impact on that who finish higher.
[Reporter:]
Bangladesh team director Khaled said that the Bangladesh team suffered for decision making problem, decision making issue. So, what do you take on that?
[Chandika Hathurusingha:]
I saw that his interview but that is I think it's, he hasn't discussed with anybody so I saw it first on the media so I have no comment further because I never heard that before.
[Reporter:]
The way Bangladesh played in this tournament, I mean there were losses and wins in cricket, but they didn't show any fight whatsoever after the first match. So how much responsibility do you take as a coach for that? And do you see yourself as the coach of Bangladesh team beyond this world cup?
[Chandika Hathurusingha:]
Yeah, I take responsibly as well as anyone in the group because we have disappointed the fans and we disappointed ourselves as well. We didn't play our best cricket but the thing is nothing has changed from the first game to now. Only [what] has changed is what's going through between our ears. Our skills hasn't gone anywhere. So, I think we put ourselves down by having high expectations. That's the only thing that we can think of, because as you rightly said, we haven't played our best cricket or what we were capable of or we played before coming into the World Cup. So, in that sense, it's we all need to look at mirrors and see what went wrong and me staying the coach. It's not up to me. It's just have to do decided by the board
[Chandika Hathurusingha:]
You talked about the long-term effects that players could face playing in these conditions. So, keeping that in mind, when you pick an 11 tomorrow, do you go with more pacers? Or do you only go by the pitch conditions or take the weather also? Because the pacers will have to be at the brunt of it mostly and the second part is when you're playing a World Cup like this that has been spread over 45 days - only four teams will be qualifying for semifinals.
What do you have to say about that format because two weeks before you almost have four semifinals ready. So, it gives a little very few chances for the other teams to make up and make the grade.
[Chandika Hathurusingha:]
I think this is the best format I have been involved. 2019 and 1992 - this was the format. I think that if you win, you feel like you actually played everybody, if I'm not mistaken. The team selection not depend on the air quality. It's depending on the condition and the opposition and our strength.
[Reporter:]
In the Bangladesh squad there are five fast bowlers. Tanzim Sakib didn't get a chance yet. In the other hand, Nazmul Shanto, Tamim, even Litton Kumar Das, not in good form. Tawheed out of form, Nazmul Shanto got out six on a row in a single digit. What do you think instead of Tanzim Sakib in the squad, if one more batter is there it will be great for you for selection?
[Chandika Hathurusingha:]
I don’t think – one more batter would have made things complicated. When we selected this team before, before the World Cup, they had been performing. Their skill hasn’t gone anywhere, whatever is going through our heads is the only thing that is disturbing us. We haven’t played to our potential, we haven’t shown what we are capable of, for some reason we have gone into a shell, especially batting as you rightly said. That is what we need to fix and come and play fearless cricket.
[Reporter:]
As you mentioned that we didn't perform to our ability. The way batting order has been shuffled so far, almost every game. Do you feel this is the thing actually unstable or destabilize the batsmen to perform?
[Chandika Hathurusingha:]
It's not about the batting order, isn't it? Where you come to bat, what over what time of the innings you're coming into bat is more important than the number you bat. We haven't given any start.
Our top three, top four hasn't given us apart from one game. So, I don't think it's a batting order has any indication for this outcome.
[Reporter:]
Air quality issue has been already been discussed - my simple question is given the pollution level and the AQI at this moment, do you think Delhi is simply fit for international cricket particularly in early November? And secondly, Champions Trophy slot for Bangladesh, is it realistically still achievable? What do you think?
[Chandika Hathurusingha:]
I think it's achievable because we are still a good team. We know that we are better what we have shown. So, our best game we haven't played so far, even near to our best. So, we still think that we Champions Trophy is achievable. And the first question is not up to me. I'm not a qualified person to tell about their quality and whether it's fit or not to play.
[Reporter:]
Players like Hridoy, Shariful, Shanto, they were in great form just before the World Cup. On the biggest stage they all lost their form. Do you think the pressure of the bigger stage has affected their performance.
[Chandika Hathurusingha:]
I'm speculating if I say yes or no, I don't know, to be honest. The only thing you can think of is, it's high expectation from everyone, because as players, we all wanted to perform in the biggest stage. That's, as you said, it's that kind of expectation. It can be pressure, can be that you're put in a little bit, yeah, trying to do too much. We learn from it. That's the only thing I mean, that's what we need to see, sit back, and look back and think what went wrong. It's individually because it's not one or two players - it's affected many players for us it can be any of them so I'm to be honest. I don't know at the moment.
[Reporter:]
You just said that you take the blame, responsibility for the failure. Do you think that you got enough time to prepare this team for the World Cup?
[Chandika Hathurusingha:]
You know, I started seven months ago, so I had seven months. And then there are certain things beyond my control happen in between as well - all these things is I don't think is right forum or time for me to think or discuss. At the moment my focus is this game, how we can win the next game. We are doing everything right. The players are training and the mood is good. They are all trying hard. They are all hurting and they all want to do well.
My biggest challenge at the moment, keep that environment stress-free as possible from every angle for them to perform to their best ability.
[Reporter:]
I think you already said a few things about the reasons. Just I want to know that as the semi-final dream is over long back and these two games these two games is just for face saving or getting the place for Champions Trophy and you got a bit few days’ time after match with Pakistan. You've got five days’ time in between, so I just want to know is there any particular reason you said that batting order haven't played a part, you said high expectation might play the role. I just want to know is any particular reason we found in between that which caused this difficulty?
[Chandika Hathurusingha:]
No, there's no particular reason to be honest. If I say anything here, it's a speculation. I think it's that we all try hard. Like we need one, like the good example, like what Pakistan did, as you rightly asked, last game and one player stand up and take the game on. We have capabilities in our group to do something like that. I think something like that, inspiration in one spell or one inning will change a lot of things for us.
[Reporter:]
A word on Dilshan Madhushanka. He was a tournament's highest wicket-taker until yesterday. What kind of challenges does he pose for your team? Are you surprised by the fact that the impact that he has had at such a young age.
[Chandika Hathurusingha:]
Yeah, it's nice to see someone like new, young, come and do well in the stage like this World Cup. I was not surprised because he was a quality bowler. He swings the ball early, decent pace he has. So, the one thing is if at all he surprises maturity showing bowling in the after the new ball and the change of pace and things like that, how you use cleverly. So, we have discussed about him and we take note of his performance.
[Reporter:]
Players like Shanto, Litton, even Sakib, they almost got out similarly in every innings. What went wrong, actually, for them?
[Chandika Hathurusingha:]
You said that they got out similarly. That's what went wrong. Not that the lack of trying or anything. There are similar ways of getting out. Like unfortunately for Shanto especially, getting out, if you have played this game, you know like any batsman, good batsman can get out first five balls, ten balls and he got out I think twice first ball. So, it's really unfortunate some of the balls that he got out or down the leg side and then half volley, any other day you all have seen that he will hit those four boundaries.
Things have not gone right in certain way for us. As I said before one of them or two of them have to stand up and take the game on and change our fortune in next two games.
[Reporter:]
Given the poor air quality in the capital here, what's the status of the team? Anyone suffering from any health affects?
[Chandika Hathurusingha:]
Our doctor has kept a close eye on players. Some of the players didn’t turn up for practice as they are asthmatic so they stayed in indoors. And even for practice, we're very conscious. We train what we have to train, and they go back into the dressing room. They don't spend time unless they're bowling or batting.
So, we have taken some measures to minimize our exposure before the game.
[Reporter:]
You have already mentioned about Shanto getting out under 10 in six innings is a huge disappointment. What is wrong with him? Have you had a chat with him yet?
[Chandika Hathurusingha:]
Yeah, we constantly had a chat with him. We find nothing, it's nothing technical it's just unfortunate way as I said like any batsman getting out early like first 10 within first five balls or whatever it can happen to any player especially the top order because ball is moving and you're getting used to the condition. I don't think it's anything to do with any technique or anything, but unfortunately, it's cricket. That's the beauty of the game.
[Reporter:]
Before the tournament you and your team said your target is to play semifinal. Now at this stage do you think it was a wrong comment from you and your team?
[Chandika Hathurusingha:]
No, it's not a wrong comment because we all want to do well. We have a high hope and we have the expectation to do well and we thought that we are capable of doing but then we couldn't achieve so it's not a wrong comment.
[Reporter:]
As a coach you failed to take your team to the semifinals. You took the blame as well You said earlier what as a coach? What do you offer to the team in future like what you have? Spoken with the players as a coach what you can offer to the team for the future?
[Chandika Hathurusingha:]
I'm only 7 months in into the job - There's not much I can do within seven months what I have what I did was just take the team from where the team was and make sure that they were prepare for this actually it's my work has to start after this, because it's World Cup is separating to prepare, and then it's taking the team forward. It is a very different challenge.