A nine-day special camp under Bangladesh’s pace bowling coach Courtney Walsh begun at BCB National Cricket Academy in Mirpur on Friday.

During the training session, Walsh will brief pace bowlers on how to become more consistent and mentally strong during a certain match situation, especially in Nidahas Trophy T20s in March, involving hosts Sri Lanka and India.

Including Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed and Rubel Hossain, a total of 14 pacers and five batsmen have been called up for the camp, which will end on March 3.

‘We are working on the mental strength of the bowlers. They have to know what the best to do in a situation and how to execute it. If they get consistency, eight out of ten times it will work in their favour. We are trying to make them to be consistent and remain relaxed while in execution.’ Walsh told media. 

‘We haven’t bowled consistently, so this camp is to focus on that. They have to understand their role in the upcoming tour,’ the coach added.

The camp includes six uncapped pace bowlers, some of whom appeared in the BPL in November last year.

‘It is the first time I am observing some of these guys properly,’ he stated. ‘Today I assess them and see what potential they have. Over the next few days, we will be doing specific work on individual. They have to improve in their departments.’

‘If they are weak in any department, we will work on it. If they are strong, we will get them to be stronger. It is to develop the overall skill of the player. At the end of the day, I am here to make Bangladesh cricket as best as it can be, and for the bowlers to be a lot more consistent,’ Walsh concluded.

Bangladesh’s pace bowlers have come under increased scrutiny after their failure to stop Sri Lanka batsmen in the two T20s that rounded up a miserable home season for Bangladesh. Sri Lanka won the T20 series by putting up scores of 194 and 210, and losing eight wickets across the two matches.

Selected pace bowlers: Taskin Ahmed, Rubel Hossain, Abu Jaheed Rahi, Ebadat Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Abul Hasan Raju, MD Robiul, Abu Hider Rony, Khaled Ahmed, MD Saifuddin, Qazi Anik, Kamrul Islam Rabbi and Hossain Ali.

Selected batsmen: Imrul Kayes, Soumya Sarker, Ariful Haque, Zakir Hasan and Sabbir Ahmed.