Tigers step up preparations for Malaysia clash

Bangladesh stepped up their preparations for the with the full squad taking part in a practice session in Nagoya on Sunday.

The session came two days before Bangladesh's opening match of the tournament, giving captain Litton Das and his teammates an opportunity to work on their preparations after rain disrupted their initial plans following their arrival in Japan.

Bangladesh reached the knockout stage directly as one of the four top-ranked Test-playing nations and will face Malaysia at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin on Tuesday. The match is scheduled to begin at 11am Bangladesh time.

The Tigers' preparations have been closely watched because of the unsettled weather in Nagoya. A scheduled practice session had earlier been called off because of rain, but the team later managed to get onto the field and complete a training session.

With the entire squad involved, the session provided valuable time for the players to adjust to the local conditions ahead of their first competitive outing. Bangladesh will also have to adapt to the pitch at Korogi Sports Park, where conditions could play a role in the short-format contest.

Senior assistant coach Mohammad Salahuddin has already urged the players not to take Malaysia lightly, pointing to the possibility of unexpected results in a short tournament and the influence of used pitches and weather.

Bangladesh have faced Malaysia once before in Asian Games cricket, winning a closely contested quarter-final by two runs in the previous edition.

The Tigers are targeting a strong start to their campaign in Japan, with a place in the semi-finals at stake in Tuesday's knockout match.