Salahuddin warns Litton and Co: Upsets can happen against Malaysia

Bangladesh senior assistant coach Mohammad Salahuddin has warned his side that an upset can happen against Malaysia, despite a 17-place gap between the two teams in the ICC T20I rankings. Bangladesh are currently ranked eighth, while Malaysia sit 25th in the global standings.

Salahuddin pointed out that used pitches and unpredictable weather could make the Asian Games opener a challenging contest, urging his players to remain fully focused on the task at hand. Litton Das and his men are scheduled to face Malaysia in Japan on Tuesday at 11:00 am Bangladesh time.

However, persistent rain since the team's arrival has raised concerns over whether the match will proceed. A complete washout would send Bangladesh straight into the semi-finals because of their superior ICC ranking, but Salahuddin made it clear that the Tigers would much rather secure their place on the field.

The senior assistant coach stressed that short-format tournaments can produce unexpected results, particularly when teams are forced to play repeatedly on the same surface. He noted that the toss often becomes a major factor under such conditions.

Recalling their previous encounter at the Asian Games where the Tigers narrowly defended a target of 116 for a two-run victory, Salahuddin urged concentration on performance. Malaysia are now under the supervision of former Bangladesh coach Dav Whatmore, adding familiarity between the two sides.

With the women's cricket team returning without a medal, expectations are firmly on the men's side to deliver a gold-medal challenge. Salahuddin believes the country's expectations will serve as motivation rather than pressure, asserting that the team is fully prepared.