Zooming in: Analysis of Bangladesh’s T20 WC squad
Bangladesh did not live up to the expectations in the recently concluded Asia Cup tournament as the 2018 runners-ups were knocked out at the group stage of the tournament after failing to win any of their fixtures. The injury-plagued team suffered yet another blow in the build-up to the T20 World Cup in Australia as the seasoned pro-Mushfiqur Rahim announced his retirement from the format.
Bangladesh possess a decent blend of youth and experience in their rank but often crumble at the crucial junctures of the match due to their inability to handle pressure. A long run in the upcoming tournament, commencing next month in Australia, will be the aspirations of the Asian side.
SWOT Analysis of Bangladesh for T20 World Cup
Strength-
Bangladesh have got an impressive young crop of cricketers who are not afraid to play their natural game at the highest level. The 24-year-old Mehidy Hasan has been a find for the Asian side, who looks set to take over the mantle from the globetrotting all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan. Mustafizur Rahman is another crown jewel in the ranks of the Bangladeshi squad.
Weakness-
Bangladesh’s biggest weakness has been its inconsistency in white-ball cricket. They turned a few heads with their white-ball tour of the West Indies but succumbed to a disappointing series defeat against a spirited Zimbabwe side ahead of the recently concluded Asia Cup.
Opportunity-
It’s highly unlikely that Bangladesh will make it to the finals of a star-studded tournament, but Shakib Al Hasan’s men will hope to leave a mark on the tournament by causing a few upsets. A deep run in the tournament will be the agenda at hand for the Men in Green, who were knocked out of the Asia Cup by Sri Lanka at the group stages.
Threat-
Bangladesh will be up against Scotland, Papua New Guinea, and Oman in the qualifiers for the upcoming T20 World Cup and are likely to progress through to the Super 12 stage of the competition. They will be facing stiff competition from heavy favourites like India, England, South Africa, and Australia, while Pakistan and New Zealand could prove to be the dark horses for the tournament.
