May Bangladesh cricket be freed from so-called personal manipulations

The Bangladesh team left the country to participate in the group stage of the T20 World Cup amidst fear, anxiety, uncertainty, instability, fragile confidence, negative mindset, lack of form among top-order batsmen, inadequate preparation, and a storm of discussions and criticisms. The players have not been able to think as a team, but if they can collectively reflect their capabilities at the right time, good performance is certainly possible.

In sports, there are wins and losses. Luck also plays a role. What players need is willpower, the desire to win, strong determination, courage, and a positive mentality. There will always be pressure in cricket. Players perform on the field by managing that pressure and enjoy the game. Many have spoken out in the media before. However, the game is never for oneself; it is for the country.

Cricket is a 'mental' game. Here, mental strength, resilience, courage, and confidence are crucial. Without trust and belief in one's own game, it is impossible to perform. There has been a lot of talk from both the general public and experts regarding squad formation. In our culture, we often notice a different kind of overreaction in such matters. Resources are limited, and selectors are often helpless. What options do they have? Squad formation is done through a combination of many thoughts and considerations. Moreover, in global tournaments, there is no room for rash decisions and experiments. The media has played its role, or otherwise, it has been utilized in various ways. Awareness has increased compared to before, making many things clearer now.

Observing the entire situation, Cricket Board President Nazmul Hassan told the media, "Our target is the next World Cup." I don't know what prompted team captain Najmul Shanto to say, "Do not expect anything from the team." What kind of statement is that? How can one suggest that people shouldn't talk about the national team's performance, whether good or bad? People's expectations are simple: they want Bangladesh to play well in global tournaments. Head coach Hathurusingha said, "Let's get past the first round first, then we can think about what to do next." Meanwhile, a former cricketer and analyst from the country mentioned that if the players can collectively reflect their abilities at the right time, winning three matches and advancing to the Super Eight is very possible, something that has never been achieved before.

Since the ICC determined the groups, a negative statement has been circulating: Bangladesh's 'D' group is very strong. This group includes Sri Lanka, South Africa, the Netherlands, and Nepal. Facing strong teams, this negative mindset has affected the players even before they left the country. In cricket, there is never an opportunity to consider the opponent as weak. In T20 cricket, the situation can change in just two or three balls.

In a bilateral three-match series in the United States, Bangladesh lost 2-1 to the host team. The U.S. team, composed of immigrants, demonstrated how to play organized cricket despite being accustomed to playing as "part-time" cricketers.

In the final match, the host team, the United States, rested five of their regular players. Ultimately, the Bangladesh team emerged victorious in this game. Throughout the series, the form of the United States' top-order batsmen was noticeably lacking. It was hoped that they would regain their form, but that did not happen. Next is an ICC practice match against India. In that match, the top-order batsmen were lackluster and colorless. The bowlers did their job, but they have limitations. It's the batters who need to put their team in a position where the bowlers can defend the total.

The number of runs on the wickets in the United States was very low. The bowlers performed dominantly. There has been talk that the wickets were prepared under the control of the ICC. Bangladesh started their World Cup campaign in Dallas against Sri Lanka, followed by their second match in New York against South Africa. After that, they flew to the West Indies and played two matches in St. Vincent, against the Netherlands and Nepal, respectively. Out of the four matches, Bangladesh won against Sri Lanka, the Netherlands, and Nepal. The players and team management surely understand why they couldn't win against South Africa despite fighting hard. Thanks to victories in three matches, Bangladesh has, for the first time, secured a place in the Super Eight of the T20 World Cup. This is Bangladesh's best performance in the T20 World Cup to date. The team's ability made it possible to reach the Super Eight, with the contribution of the bowling unit being unforgettable.

Previously, it wasn't said with confidence and assurance that Bangladesh could reach the Super Eight. Once the possibility of advancing to the Super Eight became evident, the goal was set as 'reaching the Super Eight.' That dream has now been fulfilled, and reaching the Super Eight is considered a big bonus. Following this achievement, Bangladesh faced Australia and India in Barbados, West Indies, but failed to mount a strong resistance and lost both matches. Strategically, Bangladesh faced a major setback against India. However, these two teams, Australia and India, are far ahead of the Bangladesh team in all aspects. Nonetheless, the essence of cricket is to keep fighting until the end. Afghanistan has set a new record in the ongoing T20, having defeated Australia.

There will be discussions about the achievements and shortcomings in the World Cup. Our batters failed to shine collectively. Against strong teams like Australia and India, the batters did not perform as expected. However, the days of speaking flatteringly about international cricket are coming to an end. The reality is that rebuilding the team will inevitably impact the T20 careers of some players. This is the harsh reality. The expectation is that players like Towhid Hridoy, Tanzid, Rishad, Mustafiz, Najmul, and others will advance cricket with fresh ideas. It is hoped that Bangladesh cricket will be freed from the so-called personal manipulations.

Author: Columnist and analyst. Former Senior Vice President of AIPS Asia. Lifetime member of the Bangladesh Sports Press Association. Panel writer for Football Asia.