CWC 2019, SWOT Analysis – Bangladesh
Bangladesh have made immense progress in the international arena in the span of the last couple of years. The 2019 World Cup in England will be another stepping stone for the Tigers to not only take another step in their evolution but also a major barometer to gauge their progress.
The Tigers now have some experienced warhorses in the squad who have been through the ups and downs and have witnessed some golden moments along with all the turmoil. The 2019 edition of the tournament will be the perfect opportunity for Bangladesh to prove once and for all that they are no longer the minnows of international cricket and are a force to be reckoned with.
Here we do a SWOT analysis of the 15-man Bangladesh squad for the World Cup and assess their chances at the tournament:
Squad: Mashrafe Mortaza (c), Tamim Iqbal, Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mahmudullah Riyad, Shakib Al Hasan (vc), Mohammad Mithun (wk), Sabbir Rahman, Mosaddek Hossain, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mehidy Hasan, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Abu Jayed.
Strengths –
The Bangladeshi batting unit looks pretty balanced on paper. They have many experienced campaigners from the top to the bottom, all capable of making a big impact during a match. Tamim Iqbal remains one of the most destructive openers in world cricket and will be tasked with getting Bangladesh off to a good start. The middle order also has a lot of experience with Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah forming the core. A lot will also be expected of the talented Soumya Sarkar and the World Cup could well turn out to be the tournament where he grabs the bull by the horn.
Weaknesses –
Bangladesh over the years have always been heavily reliant on their spinners to get a breakthrough. Spin though, won’t be a big factor on the pitches in England and Bangladesh’s pacers lack that extra bit of quality and zip to trouble teams on a consistent basis. A lot of emphasis will be on the shoulders of skipper Mashrafe Mortaza to use all the tricks in his armour. He will be backed up by Mustafizur Rahman who is more deadly on slower wickets with the variations which he has. Rubel Hossain will complete the attack, which lacks the pace and the guile on pitches which are expected to be flat in nature and suitable for the batsmen. The spin department will consist of Shakib and Mehidy Hasan, while Mahmudullah will also chip in with some overs.
Opportunities –
Often regarded as the minnows heading into major international tournaments, this World Cup is a major opportunity for Bangladesh to shed this tag once and for all. They will take great heart from their performances during the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy when they surprised one and all and reached the semis. The World will be an altogether different challenge though and a couple of victories over a few of the big teams will be seen as a major sign of progress.
Threats –
Complacency can often creep into the Bangladeshi squad and they have a self-destructive streak about them. Their temperament has also been called into question many times which has undoubtedly halted their progress over the years. They will have to keep a calm head as very often, situations can get tight. If they can develop on the mental side of their game, this World Cup could well turn out to be a watershed moment for Bangladeshi cricket.
