Litton Looks for a Bright Start in Chattogram After Mirpurs Gloomy Pitch

The dark, sluggish surface in Mirpur made run-scoring difficult, but the scene in Chattogram promises to be very different. On Monday, the T20I series between Bangladesh and the West Indies will kick off at the newly renamed Birshreshtha Matiur Rahman Stadium (formerly Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium), where the brownish-green wicket is expected to offer batters a chance to play more freely and build big innings.

Unlike the slow Mirpur track, Chattogram’s wicket has always been more sporting in nature — allowing batters to play their shots while still giving bowlers a fair bit of assistance. This balance often makes for competitive contests.

West Indies coach Daren Sammy, who has played several international and BPL matches at this venue, knows the conditions well. From his experience, he considers the Chattogram pitch the best in Bangladesh.

Adding to the freshness of the setting is the stadium’s recent renaming in honor of the national hero Birshreshtha Matiur Rahman. With a new name and a vibrant atmosphere, the series opener carries a sense of renewal and excitement.

Bangladesh captain Litton Das sounded optimistic when asked about the surface conditions ahead of the match.

“I can’t say much about the Mirpur wicket, but here in Chattogram, we can expect a good pitch again. Of course, how it behaves isn’t in our control. If it’s good for batting, we’ll look to score runs; if it’s tough, we’ll fight it out,” Litton said at the pre-match press conference.

Historically, Chattogram has produced high-scoring games, much to the delight of local fans. Cricket observers believe that if the pitch once again proves to be batting-friendly, it could give Bangladesh’s batters a much-needed confidence boost at the start of the series.