Bangladesh U19 Coach Praises Team Effort on Successful African Tour

Bangladesh Under-19 coach Naveed Nawaz praised the team effort, saying that the different players led the charges during the crunch moment, something which gave proof of the team's depth. The Under-19 team returned home yesterday night after winning a bilateral series against South Africa followed by a tri-series trophy triumph in Zimbabwe. "I think we performed really well as a team," he said while addressing the media at the airport. "It was a long, tiring tour. We played 11 matches in 30 days, so it was not easy. With all the travel, cricket and training and all that, it was a difficult tour." Bangladesh started the African tour with a 3-1 victory over South African and then went to Zimbabwe for a tri-series tournament, also involving hosts Zimbabwe and South Africa. They won five out of six in group phase before beating South Africa by 33 runs in the final to seal the trophy. Naveed said the key to success was that the team didn't depend on any particular cricketer.

"Adjusting to the different conditions on South African soil, going to Zimbabwe; the conditions there were quite different from South Africa," he noted. "So I think the boys have adapted really well and the main thing was that we saw different players take charge when the situation demanded, so it was really good to see that." Naveed said about his belief in hard work, "I'm not a person who believes in luck. I believe in hard work." So, I think the boys have worked a lot in the last year or so, he added. "And now I think it's time for us to sit down and plan and be smart about the options we're taking and move forward with a good plan for the next six months." He heaped praise on Azizul Hakim Tamim, saying: "Tamim is a good leader and he has shown over the last year or so that he is capable of leading the team well."