Bangladesh ODI captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz lamented his team’s 40-run shortfall in their recent match against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi. Miraz expressed that achieving a total of 260 or more would have put them in a better position. This common excuse of not scoring enough runs has been frequently used by past Bangladesh captains, with the difference now being an increase to 40 runs from the usual 15-20 runs.
Despite the obviousness of Miraz’s observation, it held true as Bangladesh faltered in setting a competitive total, managing only 221 runs in 48.5 overs. Although the bowling attack showed resilience, the overall performance left Bangladesh as the inferior team on the field.
This defeat marked Bangladesh’s ninth loss in their last ten ODIs, signaling a significant decline in their performance in the format. The batting department shoulders much of the responsibility for this downturn. In their recent matches, Bangladesh has struggled to bat out their full 50 overs, often getting bowled out.
Key players like Miraz, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, and Jaker Ali have seen significant drops in their batting averages and strike rates. While Tawhid Hridoy has shown improvement in average, his slow scoring rate has hindered the team’s progress in the middle overs.
The top-order’s inconsistency, middle-order’s sluggish scoring, and lower-order’s lack of contribution have compounded Bangladesh’s batting woes. The team’s struggle for form is exacerbated by the lack of viable replacements, as highlighted by the gamble on debutant Saif Hassan in the recent match.
The reliance on inexperienced players to turnaround their fortunes underscores Bangladesh’s batting challenges, leaving their captain to rue the missed opportunity of not scoring enough runs after the game.