Bangladesh is currently at the very bottom of the 2023 World Cup standings following a significant loss to South Africa in Mumbai on October 24. The substantial 149-run defeat highlighted the challenges Bangladesh is facing, showing their underperformance in the tournament.
Their lone victory was against Afghanistan in the opening match, and in subsequent games, they have struggled to compete effectively. Considering this, let’s explore three key causes for their struggles in the 2023 World Cup:
#1 There is no wrist spinner in the team
In the 2023 World Cup, Bangladesh is the sole team without any wrist spinners in their squad. Despite relying on the experience of Shakib Al Hasan and the abilities of Mehidy Hasan in the past, they’ve faced difficulties in taking wickets during the middle overs.
Having a wrist spinner is valuable for disrupting partnerships, especially on pitches that aren’t favourable for finger spinners. This has led to Bangladesh depending heavily on their captain, Shakib, for consistent breakthroughs, and they have encountered problems when he couldn’t deliver.
#2 Batsmen are batting in non-standard positions
Bangladesh has experimented by placing Mehidy in the top order and has relied on players like Najmul Hossain Shanto at No.4. Consequently, experienced players like Shakib and Mushfiqur Rahim have been pushed down to the lower middle order. Even someone as seasoned as Mahmudullah has been made to bat as low as No.8 and still managed to score a century against South Africa when the match was nearly decided.
This approach hasn’t been beneficial, especially when the fundamental unwritten rule of the game is for the team’s best batsmen to face as many deliveries as possible. Towhid Hridoy also batted in an unfamiliar position, which naturally affected his performance and led to his exclusion from the team.
#3 Problems outside the playing field
Perhaps the most significant concern for Bangladesh appears to be the troubles they faced off the field prior to the tournament. There were reports of a dispute between Shakib and the experienced opener Tamim Iqbal, resulting in Tamim being declared unfit and excluded from the World Cup squad.
Even after his century on Tuesday, Mahmudullah hinted at a lot he wished to express but refrained from doing so because of the World Cup. Such incidents highlight a potentially troubled dressing room atmosphere that can ultimately impact the team’s performance.
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