Bangladesh failed to win a single match in the Super 12 Round of the World Cup. They had only won two games in the competition, both of which were against weaker opponents in the qualifying round. Bangladesh had qualified for the Super 12s thanks to those victories; otherwise, they would have been eliminated in the qualifiers. Overall, team performance was unimpressive, but there were a few moments of individual brilliance during the competition. Let’s take a look at Bangladesh’s top three individual performances in the T20 World Cup 2021.
Bangladesh’s Best Three Individual Performances in the 2021 Twenty20 World Cup
The world’s best all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan made crucial contributions to Bangladesh’s Super 12 Round qualification. His all-around efforts helped the Tigers’ two wins in the qualifiers. Whereas, right-arm pacer Taskin Ahmed impressed cricket experts with his ball control. Here are the finest three performances among the Bangladeshi players in the T20 World Cup 2021.
Shakib Al Hasan (42 & 3/28 against Oman)
Bangladesh were under pressure after losing the first qualifier by 6 runs against Scotland. They didn’t have a choice but to win the following two games if they were to make the Super 12s. Thankfully, veteran Shakib Al Hasan’s all-round efforts helped Bangladesh to comfortably hold on to those matches.
Shakib played a vital 42 off 29 balls knock in the match against Oman. He put up an 80-run stand with opener Mohammad Naim, providing a foundation for a big total to defend. Bangladesh settled for 153 runs in the end.
Shakib Al Hasan showed his real class with the ball after a magnificent performance with the bat. He took three wickets for 28 runs in his four overs and restricted Oman to 127/9 in 20 overs. This was another top-notch effort from Shakib Al Hasan, especially when the team needed him the most.
Shakib Al Hasan (46 & 4/9 against Papua New Guinea)
Bangladesh scored a massive 181/7 in their allotted 20 overs while batting first against Papua New Guinea. Shakib came to the crease after losing Naim in the first over and remained till the 14th over. He took the total to 101 runs, and in the process, he put up a 50-run stand with Liton Das for the second wicket. The left-hander scored 46 runs in the match.
Bangladesh batters made life easy for the bowlers by amassing a massive total. The batters from Papua New Guinea had a difficult time in the middle. They looked clueless, especially against Shakib, and were finally bowled out for 97 runs with three balls to spare. Bangladesh clinched the match by 84 runs and qualified for the Super 12s Round.
Shakib Al Hasan had another successful outing, taking four wickets for only nine runs in four overs.
Taskin Ahmed (2/18 against South Africa)
If Bangladesh had beaten South Africa, they would have had a chance to go to the semifinals. However, batters were dismal against the Proteas bowling attack, as Bangladesh were bowled out for 84 runs with nine balls to spare.
Despite the failure of the Bangladesh batting, Taskin Ahmed was a standout among the bowlers. The right-arm pacer showcased his real talent in this match, and everyone praised his superb bowling discipline.
Taskin came out strong from the start, taking two wickets for 18 runs in four overs against a strong batting lineup. His line, length, and ability to adjust his bowling to the conditions have all significantly improved, which is a positive sign for Bangladesh cricket.
Way Forward
Apart from the players mentioned above, a few more had strong performances at the T20 World Cup 2021. One of them is opener Mohammad Naim, who was in excellent form throughout the tournament. Besides, Captain Mahmudullah Riyad, Mushfiqur Rahim, and Mustafizur Rahman had good performances in one or two matches.
The Bangladesh team was unable to work together as a unit, resulting in a disappointing end in the mega event. The BCB needs to reconsider its strategy in order to develop T20 cricket. Bangladesh’s next series would be against Pakistan at home. As per reports, the squad and team management both will undergo considerable changes prior to this bilateral contest.
Source: United News of Bangladesh