A joint media conference of the Dhaka Bank Bangladesh-Sri Lanka series was arranged today at the Taj Samudra Hotel in Colombo. The media conference was attended by Sri Lanka Cricket President Upali Dharmadasa, Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim, head coach Shane Jurgensen, newly appointed Sri Lanka Test and ODI captain Angelo Matthews, head coach Graham Ford, and SLC secretary Nishantha Ranatunga.

Bangladesh head coach Shane Jurgensen and captain Mushfiqur Rahim expressed their views at Dhaka Bank series joint presser as follows:

(SHANE JURGENSEN)

How Bangladesh will approach the series

I think this is a massive opportunity for the players who are in this squad. We have done well in the recent past and particularly in the series against the West Indies. We had to make a few changes in the West Indies series due to key players suffering from injuries but the youngsters who came in performed very well. It is a similar situation here. We do not have Shakib (Al Hasan) who is receiving medical treatment and we have lost a couple of other players also. But I am very confident that the boys who are here will put their hands up and we will be very competitive.

We have had very good preparation. We have come here to win and I think this series is our best chance to do something positive against Sri Lanka.

(MUSHFIQUR RAHIM)

(The secret behind Bangladesh's improved showing over the last couple of years)

There's no secret really. Everyone has worked hard and everyone has contributed. Players have understood their roles and have delived, even the newest member. The team spirit has been excellent.

(How the absence of Shakib will affect the team)

Obviously it is a massive loss. He is someone who is a batting mainstay and bowls a lot of overs. However, like the coach said, it gives the others to show what they are capable of. If the youngsters continue in the same manner like they did against the West Indies and the senior players hold their own then I think we will have a pretty good series.

(How tough it will be facing Sri Lanka in their backyard)

They are a formidable team, especially at home but it is not impossible to do well against them. Our first priority is the Test series. We got ourselves into decent positions but failed to finish the job in the Tests against the West Indies. That is something we are looking to improve upon here. We have a three-day practice game before the first Test and few training sessions. We have to make best use of that and then see how it goes.