Friday, May 03, 2024
A jaded and out-of-sort Bangladesh desperately seeking some luck to get back to winning way in the ICC Cricket World Cup as they take on Pakistan Tuesday in their seventh game of the event at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
The match starts at 2:30pm (Bangladesh Time).
After winning the first game against Afghanistan by six wickets, Bangladesh's performance took a massive nosedive, resulting in losing five straight matches, including a shock defeat to Netherlands in the last match at Eden Gardens.
As they hit rock-bottom, the cricket fraternity lashed at out the Bangladesh cricket team vehemently, seeing the cricket's demise already.
While a good number of fans, who crossed the border to watch the game in Kolkata, a city adjacent to Bangladesh, booed the cricketers including its stalwart and captain Shakib Al Hasan, the fans in the social media outlet vented their anger in different ways.
Following their dismal performance that included a shock defeat to Netherlands in the last match, many saw the demise of Bangladesh cricket. It is believed that after that defeat at the hands of Dutch, it would be tough for Bangladesh to win any match in the World Cup.
But Shakib refused to give up the hopes, saying: "Talk is cheap when it's not working. So, we'll do it at the ground so the action can take care of it and everyone can see it."
"We discussed about it (dismal performance), we had our team meetings, so we sat down, we talked about it, how we can overcome the situation we are in now, but we have to show it in action," he added.
"I mean, only us, we can change the situation of the team with our action. So that's what we are trying to do," Shakib said.
"I think more than me, the whole team talked about what we need to do. There is a lot to play for. As you know, we have to win to be able to qualify for the Champions Trophy. That's an important target I think we can set at this moment and to do that we have to win. We have no other options and that's what we would look to do," Shakib said during the pre-match conference on Monday in Kolkata.
"Target is to try to win, do our best and look for the two points that are to take. So, we'll try our best to do that," he added.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan Papon who was unusually silent in the last two months, despite Tamim and Shakib's spat ahead of the World Cup and Bangladesh's tame performance in the World Cup, finally came into public during the Bangladesh vs Netherlands match in Kolkata.
He said the performance was unacceptable, disappointing and deserved public criticism but still the BCB will stand by the players as they have three matches left. Bangladesh would have to win at least two matches if they want to give them a chance to qualify for the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025.
As per ICC rules, the first seven teams in the point of the World Cup and hosts Pakistan will qualify for the tournament.
And to get back to their best, Pakistan looked to be an easier opponent for Bangladesh at this moment. Pakistan's campaign was on the right track after winning two straight matches against Netherlands and Sri Lanka but thereafter they lost the way like Bangladesh, tasted four defeats on the trot to India, Australia, Afghanistan and South Africa.
The defeat at the hands of Afghanistan shattered their morale and a narrow loss to South Africa further deepened the crisis.
The tomorrow's clash will be the only third meeting between the two teams. In their first meeting in 1999, which was their first World Cup, Bangladesh shocked the whole world, beating Pakistan by 62 runs. That was the victory which paved Bangladesh's way to Test status in 2000.
Pakistan then met Bangladesh in the last World Cup and revenged the 99's defeat, crushing the Tigers by 94 runs.
Overall the two teams faced off each other 38 times, with Bangladesh winning just five and losing 33.
After the 2019 World Cup, the two teams met only once in Asia Cup in September this year and Pakistan effortlessly beat Bangladesh by seven wickets.
Some changes are on the cards for both of the teams in today's clash as both of them would try to get back to winning mode.
Bangladesh
Shakib Al Hasan (c), Liton Das, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Najmul Hossain Shanto (vc), Tawhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nasum Ahmed, Mahedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib.
Pakistan
Babar Azam (c), Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Wasim.
