The Bangladesh cricket team is not a side to overlook in ODI cricket, as the Tigers have been ruthless against complacent opposition since the late 1990s. However, their recent performances raises several question about their ability and will to become one of world cricket’s top sides.
Many teams now consider Bangladesh as a weak side, and for good reason. Their performances since the mid-2010s have been lackluster at best, and they have failed to make a mark on the regional or international cricket scene.
Let’s check out why everyone now believes the Bangladesh cricket team is weak, comments from opposing sides, and major points the team must work on to succeed.
Why Does Everyone Consider the Bangladesh Cricket Team to Be Weak?
Many opposing teams consider Bangladesh as a weak side due to these issues:
Poor administration
Cricket in Bangladesh has been hampered by inefficient administration for some time now. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is alleged to have not done enough to position the Tigers for success in regional and international cricket.
Failure to outline a long-term approach for success in Bangladesh cricket and other unclear administrative moves have caused underwhelming performances across formats for the Tigers.
Ineffective talent management
Bangladesh’s talent pool in cricket could be massive, but poor management has cost the Tigers some of its potential finest talents. Many indicators point to the lackluster approach of the BCB as a major reason for this talent drop among Bangladeshi youngsters.
Opposing teams will generally consider teams like Bangladesh inefficient due to their poor squad management and plans for future lineups.
Allegations of corruption
Corruption breeds incompetence in many circles and that could be the case for the BCB and their senior team. Allegations of corrupt practices within Bangladeshi’s governing body prompted a scathing international assessment back in 2016 as a major reason for their current woes.
Several impressive performances have come from the Tigers through all these issues; however, it is still unclear if the team will thrive under an allegedly corrupt administration.
Recent underwhelming performances
Bangladesh recently suffered a hammering at the hands of 2019 ODI champions England. The Tigers succumbed to superior firepower from England, falling to a 137-run loss at ODI WC 2023.
England managed the game well from its onset to hand Bangladesh their third-widest defeat margin
What are Opposing Teams Saying About Bangladesh?
Afghanistan’s skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi had this to say about Bangladesh before their ODI WC 2023 opening game
“We are playing against Bangladesh tomorrow (Oct. 7, 2023). So, we have plan for each individual and we are planning against all of them like we know the strength of every player we know the weakness of them – through videos. There is not any specific player to be targeted, and we will play their 11 players and we will have to play well against all of the team,…
He also talked about Bangladesh’s performance against them in a recent game and how they plan to counter such an event in future matches:
“We played a lot against Bangladesh. Sometimes we won, sometimes they won. In Asia Cup, they beat us in the last game that we played with them – but we are totally ready here and we have had meetings, we prepare ourselves and we know them very well so we will play accordingly and we will try our best as a team to bounce back in this game against them.”
Bangladesh were able to dismiss Afghanistan in the Asia Cup 2023, and captain Shahidi believes they have taken positives from that encounter and are now ready to face Bangladesh at the WC and in future tournaments:
“We will achieve a lot and that’s what our aim and target is. We will try our best to play positive cricket and don’t worry about what happened in the past. So, we will try to give our best here. And again, I will say as a leader, I am very confident because our team is better than before in other tournaments. It was good, but now this time it’s better. I feel that. We will try our best to give positive results and make it historic for our country’s people.”
Bangladesh’s underwhelming performance has seen them overlooked in recent times by some teams you wouldn’t expect. It is unclear when their woes will end; we all hope it happens soon enough. Every ‘90s cricket fan remembers the exploits of Bangladesh; it would be a shame if they can’t replicate such performances in present-day tournaments.
