Reflection and action needed to chase int’l level

Bangladesh's team are set to return to country after their participation on a global event that laid bare the deficiencies in the nation's cricket cognition, team building, planning, and mental resilience. 

The Tigers returned without a win in the Super Eights of the T20 World Cup, but more disastrous was their baffling approach in those three matches. The pertinent question is: where does Bangladesh cricket go from here?

The event's ninth instalment revealed the deficiencies of the players. However, in a bigger way, it exposed the flaws in how Bangladesh perceives cricket.

First, the quality of the wickets and the competitiveness of domestic competitions must be addressed. A lack of good wickets and a competitive structure makes it difficult for selectors to gauge which players have the required quality and mentality.

Surfaces here produce 140-150 scores, and in the Dhaka Premier League, teams have not been competitive. On the other hand, the franchise Bangladesh Premier League does not always allow local players to shine in pressure situations.

"No, local players are not being tested. When [Najmul Hossain] Shanto or [Towhid] Hridoy played in the top order not long ago, they were performing [for the Sylhet franchise]. Given the opportunity, our players can perform, but that opportunity is scarce," veteran coach Nazmul Abedeen Fahim, who also coached Fortune Barishal in BPL's 2022 season, told The Daily Star.

Secondly, the national coaching panel had little influence on improving the batting unit, which proved disastrous. The team appeared rudderless, not only in terms of application but also in their battle plans. Without clarity and ownership, the players failed to follow one man's idea of how the game should be played.

"I haven't seen a team that is playing as a team. Regarding team selection, or even unity within the team, it was not seen in the last two World Cups. Hathurusingha's treatment of players, especially those that don't make the side, I felt, was not very balanced," added Fahim, who has been the mentor to many national players.

Third, the biggest factor in poor performances is bad decision-making, coupled with a significant deficiency in cricketing IQ. "Where are our players learning the game and from whom?" asks Fahim.

Coaching education is still far behind in the country, and Fahim feels that this is where reflection is needed to help players learn the nuances of the game. However, for the immediate needs of the national team players, they need to be allowed to play in foreign leagues.

"Ask Shakib where he was influenced the most as a cricketer. He will say it's county cricket where his biggest change came. It's unbelievable what playing for Sussex means. Look at Afghanistan. They are building their players by playing them outside.

"What's our goal? We have to do a lot of things so that in two years we are prepared for the 2026 T20 World Cup. So if Taskin [Ahmed] goes here and there, playing franchise cricket or county cricket, it has to be availed. It has to happen irrespective of what's happening to the national team," he said.

The need for another T20 tournament has come on the radar, and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is set to introduce a new T20 tournament. Fahim, however, believes more lower-tier tournaments need to be introduced.

"For instance, the Chattogram division can hold a tournament, and there, players who are still in the lower tiers in the nook and corner of the country can participate.

You will see that many players with a T20 mindset will come through. There used to be the Star Summer tournament, and districts will get sponsors. It doesn't have to be like the BPL. It would be a platform for player development," he said.

As it stands, Bangladesh have a long way to go to catch up to the international level, and BCB must take bold and blunt decisions following extensive soul-searching, for a change.

However, if making the Super Eights is something BCB uses to beat their own drums, leading to not holding the coaching staff accountable for sub-par preparations, things are certain to remain the same, if not regress beyond repair.