Image Credit- AFP
Bangladesh lost five of their opening five games in
the ICC World Cup, but they are hoping to make a big recovery. Bangladesh’s
chance to compete in the 2025 Champions Trophy is at risk because, according to
the ICC, the top seven teams from the league stage, together with the hosts
Pakistan, will advance to the competition.
Bangladesh are currently placed ninth in the league
table and are scheduled to take on Pakistan in their next game on October 31
before facing Sri Lanka and Australia. “Apart from the Champions Trophy,
finishing higher on the table is a goal,” Shakib told reporters ahead of
the game against Pakistan. “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.”
Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hassan held
several meetings with the Tigers after their disappointing loss to Netherlands
as it pretty much killed their slender hopes of making it to the semifinal.
“We discussed it in our team meetings. We talked about overcoming this
situation. We have to show it in action. Talk is cheap when it’s not working.
We will do it in the ground so that everyone can see what we are doing,”
Shakib said.
“We felt bad on that day (after losing to
Netherlands). But we have to look forward, which everyone tried to do. We did
what can make things better. We can change the situation of the team with our
actions. We are here to play the World Cup. Every match is as important as it
gets. We will take one game at a time. We don’t think about anything else other
than performing to the best of our ability.”
Shakib added that every individual will need to make
their own plans to get back into form and only then they can showcase
collective results which he feels is currently required for them to get over
the lean patch. “Only an individual can bring himself back to form,”
he remarked. “First you have to perform individually and then it happens
collectively. It is up to the individual to motivate himself. I want to perform
as well. I am trying to find out.