Sabbir, Nasir key fielders for Bangladesh - Halsall

Sabbir Rahman and Nasir Hossain have the ability to bolster Bangladesh's overall fielding in the World Cup, according to the team's fielding coach Richard Halsall.

Bangladesh have not been the most energetic of fielding sides over the last two decades and while basic techniques have improved, the side has relied on individual brilliance. Nasir Hossain and Anamul Haque held stunning boundary-line catches last year, while Sabbir injected much-needed vigour in the field. But the Bangladesh fielders also dropped several catches in 2014, including five in their first ODI of the year against Sri Lanka. They dropped three more in the next game, two in the 32-run loss to Afghanistan, and a crucial one while unsuccessfully defending 326 runs against Pakistan.

They did, however, better as the year progressed, and Halsall said that the team looked sharper against Zimbabwe at home recently, which was mostly due to Sabbir's agility in the field. He was acknowledged as one of the best fielders in the country even before he made his international debut.

"There'll be lot of work on the fence and the opposition will be running very hard, so we will be put under a lot of pressure," Halsall said. "But I think after the recent fielding performances [against Zimbabwe], particularly the inclusion of someone like Sabbir Rahman, it makes a massive difference to the team. So I hope we can really hold our heads up very high in the World Cup in regards to our fielding. We might surprise a few people.

"What has been really pleasing is the collective effort. So you can see some of the senior players like Tamim now diving around. Two people chasing the ball, people prepared to dive and maybe hurt themselves. It is also nice to have the calming influence of Shakib. It is amazing how the inclusion of one or two gun fielders, like Sabbir, trickles down elsewhere. Hopefully they do some special things in Australia."

Halsall said that Nasir stands out as a fielder in the inner circle. Nasir was recalled to the squad for the World Cup after missing out on the Zimbabwe series due to poor batting form, but his fielding abilities did not wane. Halsall added that he is trying to ensure all the players know what their specific role is going to be against certain batsmen. By giving them the habit, Halsall hopes to raise confidence.

"He is outstanding in the ring. He can do some special things," he said. "That's the exciting thing about this group. There are players who can do very special things in the field. Nasir had done some great things in West Indies.

"The intensity is going to be very important. The ball is going to be hit really hard, there will be a lot of rope work as a result. People are looking for boundaries more often nowadays. It is going to be very role-specific, so people will be practicing their positions. They will know where to be positioned for each batsman and bowlers. The more you are happy with your role, that familiarity breeds confidence."

Halsall said that Bangladesh's slip-catching will also be key in Australia and New Zealand. It's an aspect in which they have often had limited opportunities due to the slow home pitches with low bounce.

"In those conditions there will be one or two more people in the slip area where catches are important," he said. "But I don't see much difference to be honest. It will be a question of taking the opportunities.

"We might increase the volume slightly in our slip-catching. The new ball there will present opportunities. Guys like [Anamul Haque] Bijoy and Soumya [Sarkar] have fantastic pair of hands. We have got other players who have great hands so it will be nice to work with this group of players."