The nine and five-run victories in the third and fourth match respectively followed by the comprehensive defeat in the final game are raising concerns over the team’s preparedness
“You can’t compare IPL with international cricket at all,” Shanto told the media in Mirpur after Bangladesh lost the fifth and final T20I against Zimbabwe today
The scepticism and queries over the team’s preparation were not at all surprising, considering how poorly the Tigers have fared in the last two T20 World Cups -- only winning over low-ranked Netherlands and Zimbabwe in 2022 while suffering a humiliating loss to Scotland the year before in the previous edition.
Bangladesh lost their remaining nine wickets for just 42 to be bundled out for a meagre 143 in 19.5 overs -- a display that highlights the frailty of the Tiger’s batting in T20Is
Zimbabwe need 166 runs to win.
Paris Saint-Germain are bidding to overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit and beat Borussia Dortmund in their Champions League semi-final return match on Tuesday, with the aim of bringing the curtain down on the Kylian Mbappe era at the club in the final at Wembley.
“Liton Das has so much to offer us. Liton Das is a world class cricketer. He is one innings away from having an unbelievable World Cup.”
Ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who is yet to take part in the T20I series as he prioritised playing in the Dhaka Premier League (DPL) first to get back into rhythm, had highlighted on Saturday that playing Zimbabwe was not ideal preparations.
The dropped catch from Jaker made the equation a little harder for the Tigers in the second T20I but more importantly, it added another worry for the team’s think tank heading into the T20 World Cup
“We have included Afif Hossain. As Shakib is not in the squad for the first three matches, we have picked Afif in his place,”
The visitors, led by all-rounder Sikandar Raza, will catch the Chattogram-bound flight at 9.30pm as Chattogram’s Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium will stage the first three matches on May 3, 5 and 7.
