Shakib: Netherlands defeat 'very difficult to digest'
"Without any doubt," was Shakib Al Hasan's response when asked if this was Bangladesh's worst ODI World Cup campaign. He was speaking shortly after they had suffered their fifth consecutive defeat in six games, an 87-run loss to Netherlands in Kolkata.
The end had come rapidly at Eden Nurseries. As huge number of Bangladeshi fans who had crossed the boundary to root for their group rushed toward the ways out, the last two wickets - Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed - fell in about three balls. One of the flags held up by Bangladesh's fans had perused: "Our point is dependably next World Cup", a dig at BCB president Nazmul Hassan's remark from 2022. This mission, with Bangladesh in 10th spot, above Britain and beneath Netherlands, is everything except over.
"You can say that [it is Bangladesh's most exceedingly awful World Cup performance] no doubt," Shakib said after his group had been excused for 142 in the 43rd over while pursuing just 230. "I don't have a response regarding the reason why we played along these lines. We were messy in the field. We bowled splendidly. We haven't batted the manner in which we can bat all through the competition. It is a major concern. Today was one more day when we completely gave the Dutch the two focuses. It is difficult to accept. It is truly challenging to process. These things can occur in cricket."
He said just Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah were batting great, and concurred that Mahmudullah might have been given a higher situation in the line-up. "As a batting unit, if you were to request that I sum up our six matches, I would agree that that we were extremely poor. Other than Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim, any remaining players were not sufficient.
"In the event that our hitters got along nicely at the top, Riyad [Mahmudullah] and Mushfiq might play played out their parts. I concur with you that perhaps if Riyad bhai batted higher in the request, we might have gotten along nicely. Other than that, we have all been disheartening."
Bangladesh have been limited to or excused for under 250 out of four of the last five games, with the 256 for 8 against India on a level Pune surface being their most elevated score of the World Cup. The 142 on Saturday against Netherlands was their least.
Shakib said the difference in skipper several months prior to the World Cup might have affected Bangladesh. Tamim Iqbal, the ODI skipper, had resigned out of nowhere during the home series against Afghanistan in July, yet he turned around his choice on the solicitation of the nation's state leader. Eventually, Tamim didn't make the World Cup crew on wellness grounds and he was censured by Shakib during a TV interview not long before the group left for India.
"It very well may be," Shakib said, when inquired as to whether the Tamim episode had impacted the group. "It is typical. I don't have the foggiest idea what's in everybody's heart. I don't contradict you. It might have made a difference.
"It is very normal for the designs to change when the chief and mentor change. Keeping a similar plan is troublesome. It very well may be a fortunate or unfortunate arrangement. Everybody has an alternate reasoning. We don't have the foggiest idea what's up and right. It is challenging for me to say why our exhibition didn't reflect how we played previously."
Shakib said Bangladesh's lead-up to the World Cup had not been testing enough. "Group gets certainty subsequent to dominating matches paying little heed to conditions. We lost to Britain and Afghanistan as of late. We won two series against Ireland. We haven't done well in the Asia Cup in the event that you leave to the side the India win. We have failed to meet expectations in this World Cup as well.
"We are not this terrible a group. It very well may be the World Cup or this environment, elevated requirements. It very well may be a great deal of different things. We should figure it out, however in the event that we work on it, we could track down the responses."
Bangladesh's next apparatus is additionally in Kolkata yet Shakib didn't sound positive while looking forward to the match against Pakistan on October 31. "Doing a turnaround is extremely hard. It is extremely challenging. We need to attempt, and that is all we have. It is extremely challenging to neglect the present game in front of the following game."