In a candid admission, Bangladesh cricket captain Najmul Hossain Shanto expressed concerns over his team’s persistent troubles with powerplay batting, which has become a notable Achilles’ heel in their Twenty20 International (T20I) performances. Shanto’s reflections came after a crushing defeat against India, who managed to outplay Bangladesh by securing a seven-wicket victory with a staggering 49 balls to spare during the opening match of their three-match T20I series held in Gwalior on Sunday, October 6.
The match highlighted the substantial gap between the two teams, particularly in their approach during the initial overs—the powerplay—where Bangladesh faltered once again. After being put to bat first, Bangladesh was restricted to a meager 39 runs during the first six overs, struggling to maintain a steady pace. This meager return set the tone for their innings, culminating in a total of 127 runs. In stark contrast, the Indian cricketers demonstrated an aggressive and efficient powerplay strategy, racking up 71 runs within the same timeframe, and they reached their target in just 11.5 overs—a performance that underscored the decisive role powerplay overs play in the game.
This powerplay shortfall has been an ongoing concern for the Bangladesh team in T20Is over a significant period. Their struggle to establish a solid opening combination, which has been a stumbling block for a while now, remains evident. In this match, opener Litton Das fell cheaply for just four runs, succumbing to a reckless shot in the very first over, which led to an early dismissal. Meanwhile, the return of Parvez Hossain Emon to T20I cricket did not yield the desired impact, as he inadvertently helped one onto the stumps, leaving Bangladesh with a dismal opening partnership of just five runs.
Reflecting on the series of underwhelming performances, the team’s frail opening stand has produced only 69 runs across the last eight innings, with the highest being merely 35—a statistic that does little to inspire confidence. Addressing reporters at the Madhav Rao Scindia Cricket Stadium after the defeat, Shanto shared his insights on why powerplay remains a critical yet problematic aspect for his team. He stressed the importance of a strong start: “Powerplay is definitely a worry. The approach we talked about (before the game) needs a good start with the bat to be successful.”
He further emphasized the importance of conserving wickets within the first six overs, suggesting that retaining wickets would alleviate pressure on subsequent batsmen and create a more conducive environment for scoring: “We have to keep the wickets in the first six overs, and score runs in those. Otherwise, those coming in next, it becomes too challenging for them. We have struggled in the powerplay. Those batting in the powerplay must take more responsibility.
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As for the differences between the two teams, Shanto pointed out that both skill-set and mentality are critical factors. Despite the disheartening performance in the opening game, he maintained optimism about his team’s potential and insisted that their ability was greater than implied by the outcome against India. “I wouldn’t say we played badly. We are a better team than this. We haven’t done well in this format for a long time, but I don’t believe we are such a bad team,” said Shanto, while refusing to pinpoint individual failures. “The batting unit didn’t do well today. There will be aggression in the way we approach our scoring, but sometimes we have to select the balls correctly. We will think about it, but we can’t rush in changing our approach.”
Shanto continued to clarify that Bangladesh’s batting struggles come not just from poor performances but also from deeper issues such as batting mentality and skills development. He candidly acknowledged, “We have the ability, but we have room for improvement in our skills. We have been batting in this way for the last ten years. Sometimes we do well. We have to make some changes, perhaps where we practice back home. We play on 140-150 wickets at home. Our batters don’t know how to score 180 runs. I won’t blame just the wickets, but we have to consider skills and mentality.”
In light of this candid analysis, it is clear that Bangladesh’s cricket team faces substantial challenges both on the field and within the cricket culture at home. As they navigate these hurdles, the need for strategic adjustments, a focus on skill development, and a refined approach to powerplay batting will be essential for future success.