Taskin expects 'sporting wicket' against Pakistan

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."