Litton Das Optimistic About ‘Ideal Wicket’ in Sylhet Ahead of Netherlands T20I Series

Bangladesh captain Litton Das expressed his satisfaction with the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium pitch ahead of the three-match T20I home series against the Netherlands, starting August 3. With the Asia Cup looming right after, Litton sees this series as a perfect opportunity to adapt to local conditions and fine-tune preparations.

Speaking at a pre-series press conference, Litton sounded optimistic about the surface, which has often been at the center of debate in Bangladesh cricket:

“It’s a very good wicket — suitable for both batting and bowling. For an ideal cricket match, you need a balanced wicket, and we hope that’s exactly what we’ll get here,” Litton said.

Positive Signs for Sylhet Wickets

Bangladesh’s domestic pitches, especially Mirpur’s slow, spin-friendly tracks, have faced heavy criticism in recent years for producing low-scoring and poor-quality matches. Batters, in particular, have struggled to adapt to inconsistent surfaces.

However, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has recently undertaken efforts to improve pitches nationwide, and the Sylhet surface seems to be showing promising results. The conditioning camp for this series was also held in Sylhet, giving players valuable time to adjust.

Litton believes these wickets offer the right balance:

“For preparation, this is the kind of wicket we need — one where batters can play their shots and bowlers also get assistance.”

Balanced Conditions but Equal Challenge

While Litton is happy with the conditions, he acknowledged that the Netherlands are no strangers to playing on good batting wickets and could pose a strong challenge.

“Any international match is challenging. The Netherlands are a good team. They may not have played much in these conditions, but they’re used to batting-friendly wickets. So, both teams will have their opportunities,” Litton stated.

He also hinted that while there might be some experimentation with player selection ahead of the Asia Cup, the primary focus remains on winning:

“If we get the chance, we might test a few players. But at the end of the day, this is international cricket — we have to play to win.”

Sylhet Conditions Similar to Abu Dhabi

The Bangladesh skipper also drew comparisons between Sylhet and Abu Dhabi conditions, where Bangladesh will play in the Asia Cup.

“Abu Dhabi wickets are usually batting-friendly, and Sylhet is quite similar. That’s why this series will act as a reality check for us before the Asia Cup,” Litton explained.

He further added that high scores won’t come easily, but the team is working towards improving its batting consistency:

“Scoring 200 or 250 won’t be easy, but we’ll try to figure out how to achieve those targets consistently.”

Sylhet’s foggy evenings and dew factor could also influence the matches, something Litton believes will prepare the Tigers better for UAE conditions:

“Abu Dhabi also has similar conditions, so we’ll try to make the most of this experience.”

With all three T20Is scheduled in Sylhet, the series will serve as a crucial final preparation platform before Bangladesh heads into the Asia Cup.