Bangladesh aim for T20 ranking spot

Bangladesh have a chance of breaking into the ICC Twenty20 team rankings during their upcoming tour of Ireland and Netherlands, where they'll play five T20 internationals. Bangladesh, who have played only six T20Is since August 2009 (the T20 tri-series in Zimbabwe was an unofficial series), are not ranked as they need a minimum of eight games in the three-year period. They lost five of their six matches and their only win came against West Indies last year in Dhaka.

"We know our record in T20 cricket is not good. We are still not good in the new format of the game," Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim told the Daily Star. "Due to lack of international matches we are not in the ICC T20 international rankings while even Afghanistan occupy a spot."

Bangladesh are scheduled to play three matches against Ireland in Belfast and a match each against Scotland and Netherlands in The Hague.

"We have a chance to break into the table if we can win matches on this tour. So it's a very good opportunity for us. The result was not as per our expectation on the recent tour of Zimbabwe but we are confident of winning the series against Ireland." Mushfiqur said. "Everybody has the self-confidence, but you know just self-confidence is not enough to win, rather you have to prove your skills. I believe everybody will be able to show their skills on the coming tour."

Bangladesh face a tough challenge in foreign conditions in which their record is poor. During their last tour to Ireland and Scotland in July 2010, Bangladesh lost an ODI each against Ireland and Netherlands. They also lost a match to Ireland during the World Twenty20 in England in 2009.

"Our experience against Ireland was not good at all, so this tour will not be an easy one for us. We don't have a good record away and you know we are going to play in different conditions. And you know in T20 cricket no one can be considered a big team. We may be favourites in the series but I believe Ireland are tough opponents."

The team will leave for the tour on July 11. The first T20I will be played in Belfast on July 18.