Great opportunity to win series against India, says Mahmudullah

Rajkot: As Bangladesh and India get ready to lock horns in the second T20I of the three-match series, skipper Mahmudullah on Wednesday said that it is a great opportunity for his side to win series against India.

"It's a great opportunity to win the series, the boys are really feeling energetic. I am hopeful that the boys will give their best in the second T20I. We have nothing to lose, it's more to gain and tomorrow will be another opportunity to win another game for Bangladesh. We will try to play positive cricket," Mahmudullah told reporters.

"I am just concerned about how to get the best out of my players. It's a proper opportunity for each member of our squad. When we are in the dressing room, we are just concerned about how to tackle the pressure situation," he added.

Bangladesh had defeated India on Sunday by seven wickets in the first T20I of the three-match series. This win was Bangladesh's first over India in the shortest format of the game.

Before the series against India, Bangladesh lost its two key players--Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal.

Shakib was handed a two-year ban with one year of it being suspended by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for not reporting a match-fixing offer to the apex cricketing body's Anti Corruption Unit (ACU) while Tamim opted out of the tour due to personal reasons.

"Whatever has happened in Bangladesh cricket for the past few days, a series win would be a massive boost. Hopefully, tomorrow we play good cricket. India is a strong opponent and the task becomes more difficult when you play them in India. It would be a big achievement if we win the series against them," Mahmudullah said.

"They have a good bowling lineup and it is very versatile. They have a good blend of spinners and pacers. We have to be at the top right from the beginning. There will be pressure, but whoever handles it will, they will come out on the top," he added.

Mahmudullah also said that it is imperative to have the right mindset among the team. He also lauded the youngsters in the side for showing that they have the capability of dealing with the pressure situations.

"From the start, we talked about our approach. Winning or losing doesn't matter, but our attitude needs to be right. The youngsters in the squad have proved that they have the capability of performing in the pressure situations. We have to give opportunities to youngsters so that they prove themselves," Mahmudullah said.

India and Bangladesh will take on each other in the second T20I of the three-match series on Thursday, November 7 at Rajkot.