As Bangladesh prepares to face Sri Lanka in their opening game of the T20 World Cup, captain Najmul Hossain Shanto emphasized the importance of executing their plans with a "cool mind." The Tigers aim to start the tournament on a strong note, despite facing criticism for their recent inconsistent performances.

Shanto remains focused on his team's strategy rather than dwelling on Sri Lanka's recent struggles. Sri Lanka faced a crushing six-wicket defeat against South Africa, being bowled out for just 77, which has seemingly impacted their morale. However, Shanto prefers to concentrate on Bangladesh's strengths and execution.

"We are not thinking about what they think, what they are going through their mind but we are thinking about ourselves and play with our strength and yes, they didn't have a good match but we are not thinking about how they feel," Shanto said ahead of the game.

Acknowledging the importance of every match in the tournament, Shanto stressed the need to execute their game plan effectively. He noted that the team must stay present and not get ahead of themselves, emphasizing the significance of executing their strategies calmly on match day.

"The match will be very challenging for both teams. But the team that plays well on that day will win. It is a very important match for both teams. But as I said earlier, we should focus on executing the plan we have made without thinking much. We should not look too much in the front instead it is very important to be in the present moment. Everyone has prepared well. I hope everyone will execute the plan well," he remarked.

Bangladesh's preparation for the World Cup has been less than ideal, losing a three-match series to the USA 2-1 and suffering a 60-run defeat to India in a practice game. Despite this, Shanto remains optimistic about his team's ability to deliver a strong performance.

"Everyone has an expectation and everyone wants us to play good cricket. So, that will always be there. And we also want to play good cricket and present a good match to the people of Bangladesh. But, it is important to know how we are implementing our plan in that match and whether we are playing the match according to our strength. So, if we can play the match according to our strengths, we will definitely be able to present a very good match."

Bangladesh's bowling has been a consistent strength, but their top-order batting has been a recurring issue. Shanto is confident that the batters will step up when it matters most.

"It's very true that the top-order batsmen didn't do well or they are not doing well. But tomorrow is completely a new day and as you said whoever has lacking is working on that. I think everyone is giving 100% in practice and if you talk about improvement, everyone is in a good condition. Everyone is in a better position than before," he said.

He remains hopeful that his team will rise to the occasion and deliver a performance that aligns with their potential, stating, "As much as we have seen in practice and we batted in the net, from that I think we are in a better position than before. Without worrying much about what happened before, tomorrow is a new day, we don't know who will play well or who will not. I think whoever starts well and gets set on the new day, it is his big responsibility to finish the game. We are working hard. As the batters have prepared themselves, if we can execute it, it will be a good match."