Heartbreak for Bangladesh as 100-ball Cricket World Cup Dream Slips Away
Bangladeshi Batting Falters in Must-Win Clash against Afghanistan
In a must-win 100-ball cricket match, Bangladesh failed to capitalize on their strong start against Afghanistan, ultimately falling short of the target and missing out on a coveted semi-final spot in the ongoing 100-ball Cricket World Cup.
After restricting Afghanistan to 115/5, Bangladesh needed to chase down the total in just 12.1 overs to surpass Afghanistan and Australia on net run rate and secure a place in the final four. However, the Tigers’ batting unit failed to maintain the required momentum, leading to a heartbreaking 105-run defeat.
“The plan was to try and win in 12.1 overs if we got a good start in the powerplay,” admitted Bangladesh opener Nazmul Shanto. “When we lost three early wickets, we had to adjust our approach, but the middle-order couldn’t make the right decisions, and that’s why we lost today.”
Litton Das remained unbeaten on 54, but Bangladesh’s cautious approach after the initial setbacks proved costly, as they were bowled out in the 18th over, dashing their 100-ball cricket semi-final hopes.
Former Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza was critical of the team’s tactics, stating that they should have focused solely on winning the match within the stipulated 12.1 overs, rather than merely trying to secure the victory.
“This was not like any other match. We could have made history today, but we ended up losing to our own conscience,” Mortaza lamented in a social media post.
The disappointing result comes after Bangladesh’s struggles in their previous 100-ball cricket Super Eight encounter against India, where they fell well short of the 197-run target, further complicating their net run rate situation.
As Bangladesh’s 100-ball cricket journey comes to an end, they will need to reflect on the missed opportunities and learn from this experience to come back stronger in future 100-ball cricket tournaments and club cricket competitions.
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