"At times you need to keep smiling," Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan concluded yesterday's pre-match press conference, ahead of the Tigers' fixture against Pakistan in Kolkata today, telling it with a smile on his face.

The ace all-rounder's upbeat demeanour, however, was in sharp contrast to what it was when he faced the media after a humiliating 87-runs defeat to the Netherlands on Saturday. A reporter even inquired about his altered body language, saying he was more animated than the day before. Shakib jokingly replied, "Has my voice changed?"

While it is hard to guess what was actually going through his mind, Shakib's prompt responses indicate the Tigers are keen on returning to winning ways following their fifth consecutive defeat in the flagship event.

Asked how Bangladesh could bounce back after the shock Dutch loss, Shakib stated that it was time for action to speak louder than words and opposed giving the supporters any false sense of optimism, in contrast to his prior press conferences.

"We discussed it in our team meetings, and talked about overcoming this situation. But talk is cheap when it's not working. We have to show it in action. We will do it on the ground so that everyone can see what we are doing," Shakib told reporters.

Although Bangladesh's prospect of a semi-final berth is somehow hanging by a thread, the Tigers still have a lot to play for since a top-seven finish in the World Cup will ensure a spot in the 2025 Champions Trophy.

In order for the Tigers to progress past the group stage against all odds, they must win their three remaining matches while hoping that results of other matches go in their favour. Shakib informed his side are well-aware of Champions Trophy qualification criteria, taking one match at a time to rise up the points table.

"The whole team talked about what we need to do. Qualifying for the Champions Trophy is important. Apart from the Champions Trophy, finishing higher on the table is a goal. We haven't performed up to expectations. If we can still get some good results, we can be slightly satisfied and then reflect on how we can do better," he said.

So far in the tournament, Bangladesh's primary downfall factor has been their batting. In all the five preceding matches, a serious lack of form from almost all the frontline batters was clearly evident.

Shakib believes that in order for the team to turn the tide in their favour, it is up to each individual to motivate themselves and execute a turnaround.

Similar to Bangladesh, Pakistan's bleak performance in the ongoing showpiece event has Babar Azam and Co's backs against the wall following four defeats on the trot, amounting to two wins in six encounters. Shakib, however, was not willing to rate Pakistan over their current situation.

"I don't want to rate any team at the moment. We want to win this important match tomorrow. I am sure Pakistan is thinking the same. We will try to play better than Pakistan so that we can win the game."

Statbox

*Bangladesh hold a poor head-to-head record against Pakistan in ODIs, with the Tigers getting the better of the 1992 champions only five times in 38 matches. Pakistan won the other 33 matches against Bangladesh.

*Bangladesh, however, registered a historic 62-run win when they first faced Pakistan in the World Cup in 1999. The Tigers came across Pakistan only one other time in the mega event, in 2019, when they suffered a 94-run defeat at Lord's.

*Also, Bangladesh's recent ODI record against Pakistan is impressive. The Tigers have won four of their last six encounters against Pakistan – a run that includes a three-match whitewash in 2015 in Mirpur and a win in the Super Four of the 2018 Asia Cup in Abu Dhabi.

*Among the players of the two sides' current squads, Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan leads the charts for both most runs scored and most wickets in Bangladesh-Pakistan ODIs. In 17 matches against Pakistan, Shakib has scalped 21 wickets and scored 606 runs, including one century and five fifties.

*Pakistan pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi, who recorded his career-best 6/35 the last time they faced Bangladesh in the 2019 World Cup, needs just one more wicket to reach 100 wickets in ODIs.