Salahuddin warns Bangladesh not to take Malaysia lightly

As Bangladesh prepares to face Malaysia in the first quarterfinal of the Asian Games 2026, which is scheduled for September 29, head coach Mohammad Salahuddin issued a warning to his players on Sunday to avoid becoming complacent against Malaysia. Bangladesh's opening day practice session was disrupted by rain.

Due to the cricket field's inadequate drainage system, Bangladesh's opening match against Malaysia may also be affected by rain. The Bangladesh women's national cricket team's opening match against China was abandoned for the same reason.

According to a representative of the Bangladesh Olympic Association, "Even if there is no rain on the match day, still the game can be affected due to lack of proper drainage system, as a part of the ground remains spongy and you cannot play there despite the wicket remaining unaffected."

However, Salahuddin insisted that they cannot allow those thoughts to get in the way.

“I will be very happy if the match occurs, because playing matches after five to seven days becomes extremely difficult. Therefore, the first match is extremely significant for us," Salahuddin informed Japanese reporters on Sunday. “Here you don't really have much opportunity to practice. You will actually understand what your condition is if you are able to play sports.

"I think it will be a good match, and we have a good idea of the team. Because I have worked in Malaysia for a long time, I know everything there is to know about Malaysia. We know a lot about Malaysia,” he stated. Because the game is played repeatedly on the same wicket in these tournaments, upsets are possible, and the toss can often play a role.

“We know that we have to win by playing and we are preparing mentally accordingly,” he said. You should never undervalue your adversaries. Due to the knockout stage, this match also carries a lot of pressure. In the knockout stage, pressure will always be present. Therefore, we ought to take that match seriously; we can contemplate the subsequent one later.

We have been playing together with these players for a long time. We actually know whose role is what. Therefore, regardless of where they are playing, they have been playing in the same position for a considerable amount of time, so who knows what I must do at any given time? So, in this case, I believe that applying for the position will be very convenient for me once I know what it is. He came to a conclusion, "I think all of my players know whose role is what and how they will play."