Kolkata, Oct 29: Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan has admitted that a chaotic buildup could have resulted in their “worst ever” World Cup campaign after they cut a sorry figure with an 87-run defeat to the Netherlands for their fifth loss on the trot.
Chasing a small target of 230 runs, Bangladesh folded inside 43 overs, managing a mere 142 to see their World Cup campaign as good as over.
“You can definitely say that (it’s Bangladesh’s worst World Cup performance). I won’t disagree,” Shakib said in the post-match media interaction here on Saturday.
“I don’t have an answer as to why we played this way. We were sloppy in the field. We bowled brilliantly. We haven’t batted the way we can bat throughout the tournament.
“It is a big concern. Today was another day when we totally gave the Dutch the two points. It is hard to swallow. It is very difficult to digest.” Faced with persistent questions from Bangladeshi journalists, Shakib made a candid admission that the team was “underprepared” and his fallout with former captain Tamim Iqbal may have “affected” the side.
“It could be,” Shakib said when asked if Tamim’s exclusion had affected the team.
“It is not unusual. I don’t know what’s in everyone’s heart. I don’t disagree with you. It may have had an effect.” Tamim, the only Bangladeshi batter to have centuries in all the three formats, had made a shock retirement in July only to reverse his decision at the request of the country’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The 34-year-old played the opening two matches before taking a break in the final match of their home series against New Zealand in the build-up to the World Cup.Tamim was dropped from the Shakib-led World Cup squad and their fallout was out in the open when the skipper criticised the senior batter’s fitness in a televised interview.
“It is quite natural for the plans to change when the captain and coach change. It is difficult to keep the same plan. It can be a good or bad plan.
“Everyone has a different thinking. We don’t know what’s wrong and right. It is difficult for me to say why our performance didn’t reflect how we played before.
“Yes, we were very underprepared. But now actually giving these excuses will not help much. But obviously, we were underprepared,” Shakib said.
‘We’re not this bad team’Shakib, however, firmly believed that Bangladesh’s current performance in the World Cup does not reflect their overall capabilities. (PTI)
