In a candid address on the eve of May 4, Bangladesh’s premier all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan articulated his reservations regarding Bangladesh’s build-up to the impending ICC T20 World Cup. Comparing it unfavorably to the preparations for the last tournament, Shakib fears that the current schedule may not fully arm the team for the challenges ahead.
Bangladesh is currently engaged in a five-match T20I home series against Zimbabwe and is slated to battle it out with the USA in a forthcoming three-match series. This approach marks a deviation from the team’s preceding T20 World Cup prep, which had involved a tri-nation face-off with formidable opponents, New Zealand and Pakistan. Though victories eluded Bangladesh in that setup, their spirited performance was undeniable.
The earlier edition of the T20 World Cup in 2022, held in Australia, had witnessed several highlights for Bangladesh, including their opening game win against the Netherlands. Their campaign was a blend of ups and downs, ending in a defeat to Pakistan that quashed their semi-final aspirations.
Shakib adopted a pragmatic tone, noting the fallacy of drawing parallels between their performance against the likes of Zimbabwe and USA and what awaits them at the World Cup. Success in the tournament, according to him, will rely heavily on the team’s ability to withstand the pressures unique to such a global stage. He reminisced over their last outing in the T20 World Cup, where they held their ground reasonably well but conceded that they’d have to up their game this time around—targeting at least three wins in the preliminary round to consider it a step forward.
The choice to compete against the USA is viewed strategically by Shakib. It presents an opportunity to acclimatize to the American conditions—an experience that’s scarce within the team, save for a select few who played in Florida back in 2018. Nevertheless, despite the potential familiarity it could afford them, he emphasizes that the prevailing preparations are somewhat removed from what he deems ‘ideal.’ Reflecting on the advantageous experiences garnered from the previous World Cup after clashing with cricket’s heavyweights, Shakib implies that the absence of such high-caliber prep games might be a hurdle.
Further, Shakib didn’t shy away from critiquing the scheduling decisions of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). He questioned the wisdom behind conducting the super league phase of the Dhaka Premier League, the country’s premier list A tournament, in its traditional 50-over format amidst the sweltering heatwave gripping the nation. He boldly described the current format as “inhuman” and punctuated the need for a more T20-oriented domestic schedule that could bolster national team players in their World Cup endeavors.
While Bangladesh seeks to fine-tune its strategies amid less-than-ideal circumstances, the challenges identified by Shakib spotlight the complexities national sides often face. The juxtaposition of administrative strategies against the players’ perspectives underscores a central theme in cricket’s evolution: the quest for optimal preparation. It remains to be seen how Bangladesh navigates these pre-World Cup waters and whether the on-field outcomes align with their star all-rounder’s insightful foresight.