After receiving the Test status in 2000, Bangladesh, being a full-time member of ICC, was expected to put up a better performance at World Cup 2003 in South Africa. The reality however was different.
The Tigers led by wicketkeeper-skipper Khaled Masud played six matches in the tournament's group stage with no victory to their names. Five defeats and a No Result match broke the hearts of millions of Tigers fans.
Mohammad Ashraful was the only Bangladeshi batsman to score the lone half-century in the entire tournament. Likewise the previous World Cup, Khaled Mahmud was the leading wicket hunter for the Tigers' side (six wickets).
The biggest shock for the Tigers was the defeat against underdog Canada on February 11, 2003 at Durban. Canada scored 180 runs off 49.1 overs. In reply, Bangladesh went all out by 120 runs as Canadian pacer Austin Codrington picked five wickets. A surely assumed shot of winning went in vain.
On the February 14 of 2003, Sri Lanka badly ditched the Tigers at Pietermaritzburg's City Oval ground. Lankan veteran bowlers Chaminda Vaas and Muttiah Muralitharan devastated Bangladesh's innings and packed them within 124 runs. Sri Lankan openers Marvan Atapattu and Sanath Jayasuriya scored 69 and 55 runs respectively and reached the target without losing any wicket by 22nd over.
Heartbroken Bangladesh faced West Indies on February 18, 2003 at Benoni Willowmoore Park. West Indies scored 244 runs losing nine wickets. On the ninth over of Bangladesh's innings, downpour interrupted the match. The scorecard of the Tigers was then 32 runs for two wickets. As the rain continued, match referee abandoned the match, it ended with No Result.
Hosts South Africa on February 22, 2003 defeated Bangladesh by 10 wickets at Bloemfontein. It was the second 10-wicket defeat for the Tigers in the same event. Bangladesh managed to score 108 runs before the Africans booked them within 36 overs. The entire top and middle-order batting were sheer misery for the spectators. Pacer Makhaya Ntini picked up four wickets for the host nation. Opener Herschelle Gibbs and Gary Kirsten scored 49 and 52 respectively.
Following the six-wicket defeat against New Zealand in 1999 World Cup, Bangladesh could not do any better against them in 2003. The Tigers managed to score 198 runs losing seven wickets at Kimberley on February 26, 2003. The Kiwis reached the mark within 33.3 overs by losing only three wickets. This time they managed a seven-wicket victory.
Frustrated Bangladesh team had the last chance to win a match against Kenya on March 1, 2003 at Johannesburg. Kenya batted first and scored 217 runs by losing seven wickets. The Tigers once again failed to reach the target, went all out by 185 runs. Kenya won by 32 runs.
In 1999, the Tigers, being an associated member of the ICC, managed to win two matches against Scotland and Pakistan. In 2003, after becoming a full-time Test playing nation, they failed to win a single match, even against Canada or Kenya. This tournament surely was a nightmare to them.