While Bangladesh may not be the best team on paper, the team has missed the mark on so many levels when compared to their performance in the 2019 edition. From politics to the lack of leadership, there could be a number of reasons as to why Bangladesh regressed in terms of its performance in the 2023 World Cup.
For starters the lack of a good start, the lack of wickets from the experienced bowlers, or even the senior players needing to step up to take more responsibility or initiative to put the side in a better position by relying on their experience. They only have themselves to blame when it comes to their shortcomings.
Compared to sides like Afghanistan or the Netherlands, the sides are way short in terms of the starts from both the top-order as well as the new ball bowlers. Shakib who has the experience of playing in four World Cups prior to this was hardly close in terms of being a leader when compared to the likes of Hashmatullah Shahidi and Scott Edwards.
World Cup 2023: Played 9, Won 2, Lost 9, Standing 8
High point of the Tournament
Bangladesh’s standout moment in the 2023 World Cup came in a losing affair where they took on South Africa at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Batting at number six, Mahmudullah managed to score a valiant 111 in their chase of 383 runs. While it may have seemed impossible to many, the batter did display grit and determination as he took on the Proteas bowlers and showed that they had the potential to do so much better. While things were chaotic from one end, Mahmudullah managed to stand strong against the bowlers and maintain solidity from his end. This quality is something that was lacking from the Bangladesh batting order throughout the tournament.
Low point of the Tournament
Their worst moment would have to be their collapse against the Netherlands at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Chasing a target of 230 should not be that big of an issue especially with eight batters on the side as well. But still, they managed to fumble the bag with the senior players not being able to show their class and experience against the new entry to the World Cup, Netherlands. Shakib was supposed to be the man to lead the side with his experience playing at the Eden Gardens during his time with KKR but was not the leader many expected him to be with just the one wicket and scoring a mere five runs. Bangladesh should have fancied their chances with a win against Netherlands and on paper were the favourites to win the contest, but not many expected such a collapse.
Captaincy verdict
Shakib Al Hasan as the skipper of the side seemed to be the right choice given how he has been one of Bangladesh’s best players for quite some time. His experience playing in India and against various teams in his 17-year-long career. But their lead-up to the World Cup was marred with unnecessary drama which could have been avoided, to say the least. The fact of the matter is that giving Shakib the captaincy might have hindered his performance as well, with the all-rounder having played his best when not burdened under the pressure of captaincy. Shakib as a captain does not seem to have the aura of a leader that many expect when compared to the likes of Scott Edwards. He is someone who leads with his performances and that was evident during their 2019 WC campaign.
Most valuable player
Their most valuable player so far is a toss-up between Mahmudullah and Mehidy Hasan Miraz. While the latter has done relatively well with the ball and has been for quite some time for Bangladesh, Mahmudullah might have more of a challenge in scoring runs considering that he comes lower down the order at six or below. The batter was the only one to score a ton for Bangladesh in this World Cup. He also has a half-century along with a couple of forties to his name in this edition. Among those who have been consistent in the World Cup, Mahmudullah is certainly one of those players for Bangladesh in this World Cup campaign.
Major disappointment
The biggest disappointment for Bangladesh has been the performance of Shakib-Al-Hasan. It would not have been fair to pick out a youngster who did not perform due to their lack of experience. Shakib is far from that. The player had a fantastic campaign in 2019 and many hoped he would replicate similar form. But it was the exact opposite. The burden of captaincy, and injuries were all part of the reasons for his dismal campaign. One thing that was noticed is that even with the bat or ball, he seemed to want to shoulder all the responsibilities to himself. This led to him getting out with the bat, but it was even more noticeable with the ball where he looked to take on all the responsibilities. The lack of trust in his teammates or some external issues might have hampered his WC campaign.
Tournament verdict
Bangladesh’s campaign overall looked to be one of those where decisions were taken at the last moment without any long-term planning in place. It showed when they chose to rely on a youngster who only made his debut in the Asia Cup to open the innings. After their previous World Cup captain, Mashrafe Mortaza retired, there never has been much planning for grooming the next successor for the leadership role. The constant chopping and changing of the batting order too left the side in tatters. With such instability, it’s unsure who was allowed to flourish in their respective roles. Bangladesh needs to do a better job in terms of moulding their team. An approach like India or England might be a bit far-fetched due to the lack of a talent pool but they should try having a long-term plan and sticking with it instead of making too many changes in the end.
Statistics
Most runs: Mahmudullah, 328 runs in 7 innings.
Most wickets: Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 10 wickets in 9 games.
Highest individual score: Mahmudullah 111(111) vs England
Best Bowling Figures: Mahedi Hasan 4/71 in 8 Overs vs England
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