Bangladesh spin bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed has backed the team to reach the World Test Championship (WTC) final for the first time, insisting the historic Darwin victory over Australia has placed them in the right position to mount a serious challenge for a top-two finish.
Bangladesh currently sit fourth in the WTC standings with six Tests remaining in the cycle, needing 47 more points to push their percentage to 60 per cent. Winning all four home Tests against the West Indies and England would take them to 61.11 per cent, with victories in South Africa capable of lifting that figure further.
"God willing, why not? We are sitting in a great position now. If we can play good cricket and keep believing, we have the right time to go all the way," Mushtaq said on Thursday.
The former Pakistan spinner traced Bangladesh's growing confidence to a shift in collective mindset, pointing to the series win in Pakistan as evidence that the fear of losing had begun to lift.
"We are not afraid of losing now. Only the way you can win matches internationally is when you are not worried about losing. Credit goes to all the players, selectors and everyone involved, because they are on the same page and believe we can challenge any team," he said.
Mushtaq was speaking on the sidelines of a four-day spin bowling camp at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, where he has been working with spinners from the High Performance and Under-23 programmes.
The sessions, which also involve former Bangladesh left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak and Nabil Samad alongside local coaches, use three-camera video analysis to help spinners understand and develop repeatable actions.
He stressed that biomechanics and a sound action were the foundation of bowling well under pressure, particularly on flat pitches.
"When you sweat more in the nets, you will sweat less in the game," he said, adding that he wants such camps held every three months to build a sustainable pipeline of quality spinners.
God willing, why not? We are sitting in a great position now. If we can play good cricket and keep believing, we have the right time to go all the way (WTC final).Mustaq Ahmed, Bangladesh spin bowling coach
Mushtaq also touched on the advice he gave to Mehidy Hasan Miraz ahead of the Darwin Test, keeping it straightforward.
"Good overs will get you wickets, not good balls. You have to understand the pitch, the situation and the opposition, and know when to attack and when to hold," he added.
On the search for a successor to Shakib Al Hasan as an all-format left-arm spinner, Mushtaq was patient but optimistic.
"You cannot grow a tree in a day. We are sitting together, selectors and coaches, and we are looking for a left-arm spinner who can also bat in the middle overs. Hopefully sooner or later we can find them," he said.