Morally down Bangladesh to face off Pakistan in WC clash

A jaded and out-of-sorts Bangladesh desperately seeking some luck to get back to winning way in the ICC Cricket World Cup as they take on Pakistan in their seventh game of the event at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Tuesday.

The match starts at 2:30pm (Bangladesh Time).

After winning the first game against Afghanistan by six wickets, Bangladesh's performance took a massive nosedive, resulting in losing five straight matches, including a shock defeat to Netherlands in the last match at Eden Gardens.

As they hit rock-bottom, the cricket fraternity lashed at out the Bangladesh cricket team vehemently, seeing the cricket's demise already.

While a good number of fans, who crossed the border to watch the game in Kolkata, a city adjacent to Bangladesh, booed the cricketers including its stalwart and captain Shakib Al Hasan, the fans in the social media outlet vented their anger in different ways.

Bangladesh cricket team in fact was largely affected by the loggerheads of Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan ahead of the World Cup, a thing that captain Shakib indirectly accepted after the defeat at the hands of Netherlands.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan Papon who was unusually silent in the last two months, despite Tamim and Shakib's spat ahead of the World Cup and Bangladesh's tame performance in the World Cup, finally came into public during the Bangladesh vs Netherlands match in Kolkata.

He said the performance was unacceptable, disappointing and deserved public criticism but still the BCB will stand by the players as they have three matches left. Bangladesh would have to win at least two matches if they want to give them a chance to qualify for the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025.

As per ICC rules, the first seven teams in the point of the World Cup and hosts Pakistan will qualify for the tournament.

And to get back to their best, Pakistan looked to be an easier opponent for Bangladesh at this moment. Pakistan's campaign was on the right track after winning two straight matches against Netherlands and Sri Lanka but thereafter they lost the way like Bangladesh, tasted four defeats on the trot to India, Australia, Afghanistan and South Africa.

The defeat at the hands of Afghanistan shattered their morale and a narrow loss to South Africa further deepened the crisis.

The tomorrow's clash will be the only third meeting between the two teams. In their first meeting in 1999, which was their first World Cup, Bangladesh shocked the whole world, beating Pakistan by 62 runs. That was the victory which paved Bangladesh's way to Test status in 2000.

Pakistan then met Bangladesh in the last World Cup and revenged the 99's defeat, crushing the Tigers by 94 runs.

Overall, the two teams faced off each other 38 times, with Bangladesh winning just five and losing 33.

After the 2019 World Cup, the two teams met only once in Asia Cup in September this year and Pakistan effortlessly beat Bangladesh by seven wickets.

Some changes are on the cards for both of the teams in Tuesday's clash as both of them would try to get back to winning mode.

Bangladesh: Shakib Al Hasan (c), Liton Das, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Najmul Hossain Shanto (vc), Tawhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nasum Ahmed, Mahedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib.

Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Wasim.

/KN/