NEW DELHI: After Bangladesh's defeat to Pakistan in their ICC World Cup match, skipper Shakib Al Hasan openly admitted to the team's quest for answers amidst their disappointing campaign. He acknowledged their struggles in finding solutions and emphasised the need for contemplation, particularly concerning his batting position.
In the match where Pakistan secured a 7-wicket victory over Bangladesh at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Fakhar Zaman and Abdullah Shafique's impressive half-centuries, coupled with the bowlers' outstanding performance, led to Pakistan breaking their four-match losing streak in the ongoing tournament.
This victory propelled Pakistan to the 5th position in the points table, securing 6 points.
For Bangladesh, however, the defeat meant their ODI World Cup semifinal aspirations remained unfulfilled, marking their sixth loss in the tournament. Shakib's comments reflect the team's introspection and quest for improvements amidst their challenging campaign in the World Cup.
"Not enough runs. The wicket was really good. We lost early wickets. We had partnerships but not big ones that would allow us to go big in the last ten. We should have bowled better too. Pakistan did well in the first ten overs, credit to them too. We have to think about my batting order. I was batting early, did not score runs. My confidence was low too. In this stage, changing too many things seems difficult. We are trying to force things but it isn't working. At this moment, we have to perform together, which is not happening. We are looking for answers but are not getting it. Everywhere we go, fans come to the ground and are always behind us. They are our biggest strength," said Shakib in a post-match presentation.
Shakib has made just 104 runs in six innings during this tournament at an average of 17.33, with two 40-plus scores.
Coming to the match, Bangladesh elected to bat first. Knocks from Mahmudullah (56 in 70 balls, with six fours and a six), Litton Das (45 in 64 balls, with six fours) and skipper Shakib al Hasan (43 in 64 balls, with four boundaries) came in handy as Bangladesh was bundled out for 204 in 45.1 overs.
Shaheen Afridi (3/23), Mohammed Waseem Jr (3/31) and Haris Rauf (2/36) also delivered solid spells with the ball. Iftikhar Ahmed and Usama Mir also got one wicket.
In the chase of 205, a returning Fakhar Zaman (81 in 74 balls, with three fours and seven sixes) and Abdullah Shafique (68 in 69 balls, nine fours and two sixes) smashed the fifties that helped Pakistan cruise to a much-needed seven-wicket win.
(With ANI inputs)
