Tigers lose impetus with ‘bonus’ mentality

A significant mismatch on paper was the theme for Bangladesh ahead of their T20 World Cup Super 8 fixture against Australia in St. Lucia on Friday and the Tigers could do very little to overturn the notion with their on-field display. 

A lacklustre attitude, particularly with the bat, saw Bangladesh succumb to a 28-run defeat in DLS method against the 2021-winners but more than the result itself, it was the manner in which the Tigers approached the game that left the fans raising a toast to disappointment.

It won't be a stretch to presume that even the most ardent of fans would humbly expect to see Bangladesh produce fighting displays and moments of courage and go toe-to-toe against the top sides in the Super 8s more than they would perhaps anticipate a positive result. But against the mighty Aussies, there was hardly any attitude shown that would suggest that the Tigers came to the ground looking for a fight.

Bangladesh gave their opposition all and maybe more respect than they were looking to get and it seemed like this particular group of Tigers was rather intimidated by the Kangaroos, so much so it induced a mental barrier because of which they forgot to prowl let alone go for the kill.

Fear loomed large and the idea of fighting a lost battle encapsulated the Tigers' camp, especially on the batting front. On a good wicket, the Tigers laboured hard but only managed a paltry 140-8 and in reply, Australia raced off to 100-2 in 11.2 overs before rain prompted umpires to call for a result via the DLS method. Batting first, no batter other than Towhid Hridoy, who scored a 28-ball 40, looked to make a game out of the difficult situation Liton Das's 25-ball 16 had put the Tigers in and at no point could one say that the Aussies were forced to break a sweat or resort to any defensive measure.

The proactive body language and the attitude of hunting down oppositions for the desired victory -- features that were evident in the lead-up to the Super 8s -- were lacking. The Tigers seemed to have used up all their aggression in making their way to the Super 8s and suffered from stage fright when they were due to take the big stage.

Bangladesh's performance was a prime example of what head coach Chandika Hathurusingha had said about the Super 8s being a bonus for the Tigers, underlining that the objective of qualifying for the second round had already been achieved.

"We're very happy to be here. And then anything from here for us is a bonus. So, we play with a lot of freedom. And we are going to challenge all three teams the best we can," Hathrusingha told reporters on Friday.

"This game, why do we start playing this game? To enjoy. That fact of enjoyment, we don't take it away from the players. How big is the game? That doesn't mean that they have a free license to go and do whatever they want. So, the enjoyment factor is always at the forefront, but they have to do their role for the team," he added.

Ironically, none of what Hathurusingha said had found a reflection in Bangladesh's performances. Most of his troops couldn't play with an ounce of freedom nor could they execute their roles.

Even the thunderous bowling that helped the Tigers win three matches in the group-stage looked blunt. Starman Shakib Al Hasan continued to avoid bowling to left-handers as he did not bowl an over in the match. Meanwhile, vice-captain and lead pacer Taskin Ahmed's perennial habit of getting cold feet in ICC events has returned as his early tournament sizzle has all but worn off in the past two games. With in-form pacer Shoriful Islam, who is yet to feature in the tournament, raring to go, will the team management take a bold decision in this regard?