“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

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. “At least if they had tried to chase it down and lost by 30-40 runs, people would have understood that there was an opportunity, and we tried and failed, but that’s fine. Neither did we win the game, nor did we truly attempt the chase,” Tamim added.

Bangladesh ultimately failed to reach the target, finishing eight runs short and ending the Super 8 stage without a single win.

“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.