Veteran Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal believes that Najmul Hossain Shanto and his team should have gone all out in their run-chase against Afghanistan in the final Super 8 stage game of the 2024 T20 World Cup. Bangladesh had a chance to reach the semi-finals if they chased down the 116-run target in 12.1 overs or less.
The subcontinent team started with spirit as Litton Das showed intent right from the beginning. However, their momentum faltered as Afghanistan struck back with crucial wickets. Bangladesh still had a fighting chance with Litton Das in excellent form, positioned at 73/5 after nine overs.
After Towhid Hridoy’s dismissal, Bangladesh decided to play it safe. By the crucial 12.1 over mark, they had only managed 82 runs for the loss of seven wickets, missing the target for qualification.
“Bangladesh will be very disappointed. I think they should have gone for the chase, even if it meant getting bowled out for 70 or 80. They lost the match anyway but had the chance to do something extraordinary. These opportunities are rare, especially after not winning anything in the Super 8,” Tamim Iqbal remarked on ESPNCricinfo.
At times, Bangladesh seemed to pursue the target aggressively, but frequent wickets and inconsistent intent hindered their progress. “In the event that they had attempted to pursue it down, and losing by 30-40 runs everyone would have recognized that there was a chance that we could have taken advantage of and did not succeed, but that’s OK. Also, we didn’t take the lead in the game or even try to chase it down,” Tamim added.
Bangladesh did not manage to hit the mark, falling 8 runs short, and completing with the Super 8 stage without a single victory.
“First Six Overs, the Plan Was to Go for the Qualification” – Bangladesh Skipper Najmul Shanto
Bangladesh needed a strong performance from their top order to chase down the target quickly and improve their net run rate. However, except for Litton Das, who showed some fight, Tanzid Hasan, Shakib Al Hasan, and skipper Najmul Shanto failed to make significant contributions.
“As a batting group, we made a lot of poor mistakes, and that cost us. The plan for the first six overs was to aim for qualification. If we lost early wickets, we were to bat normally,” Najmul Shanto explained during the post-match presentation.
Afghanistan’s victory over Bangladesh secured their spot in the semi-finals, joining India, South Africa, and England in the 2024 T20 World Cup knockouts.
Bangladesh’s conservative approach and subsequent failure highlight the fine margins in T20 cricket, where taking calculated risks can sometimes lead to extraordinary outcomes.
The post “They Should Have Taken the Risk, Even if It Meant Getting Bowled Out for 70 or 80” – Tamim Iqbal on Bangladesh’s Missed Opportunity in T20 WC Semis Bid appeared first on InfluencersPro.
