Shanto says Bangladesh sees WTC hopes as inspiration

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said his team sees its chance of reaching the World Test Championship final as motivation, not pressure, as it prepares to host the West Indies in a two-Test series beginning October 28. Bangladesh stood fourth in the standings before the series and had won three, drawn one and lost two of its six Tests in the current cycle. Shanto said the team was concentrating on the opening match in Mirpur rather than looking ahead to the second Test or the wider qualification race. The opening Test is scheduled to begin at the Shere Bangla National Cricket Stadium. The second is scheduled for November 5 in Sylhet. Bangladesh can strengthen its position with victories in the series, but qualification depends on results across its remaining matches. Shanto said the opportunity to contend for a place in the final had encouraged the players. He said the team would continue to follow its established preparation and focus on how it performs in the immediate match. He also noted that the players had been eager to improve in Test cricket before their recent win in Darwin, and said that victory over Australia had further boosted their confidence and...