‘I Don’t Think…’, Shakib Al Hasan Doubts Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup 2024 Semifinal Prospects
St John’s [Antigua]: Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan conceded that they don’t have a chance to play in the semi-finals of the ongoing T20 World Cup after suffering a defeat at the hands of India.
Bangladesh’s chances of featuring in the semi-final grew slim after they endured a second successive defeat in the Super 8.
After falling short against Australia in a rain-affected match, India inflicted a thumping 50-run defeat. The Shanto-led side found themselves at the bottom of Group A with a net run rate of -2.489.
After the defeat, Shakib acknowledged that it is unlikely for Bangladesh to claim an elusive spot in the semi-final. He wants the team to finish the tournament on a high note which is only possible with a victory over Afghanistan in their final Super 8 game.
“To be honest, I don’t think we have a chance to play the semi-final anymore after today’s loss. But having said that, the next game will be an opportunity for us to get a win on our belt before we finish up this tournament. We’d love to finish this tournament on a high. We have to face Afghanistan which is a very good side. So, we have to be at our best to be able to win against them,” Shakib said in the post-match press conference.
The seasoned all-rounder went on to give his take on the areas where Bangladesh fell short. Their shortcoming in the batting department was a constant theme throughout the tournament.
Along with this, Shakib felt that their inability to stick to basic things and create pressure on Australia and India contributed to their downfall.
“Well obviously, when you are playing against a team like Australia and India, you have to bring your A game. I think we are lacking in those skill and strength areas. Also, I would say we couldn’t do the basic thing longer enough to be able to create any sort of pressure. And throughout this World Cup, as a batting unit, I don’t think we did justify ourselves. I think we had the potential to score big runs. The last two games we played here was very good. Wicket probably 175-185 is the power score. We are well short of that against Australia,” Shakib said.
While talking specifically about their performance against the Rohit Sharma-led side, Shakib felt that they gave away an additional 20 runs.
“Today, I thought India scored 20 more runs, but having said that, the intent we had to show from the start of the innings, I don’t think it was there. So, there are a few areas that we can point fingers, but having said that, these two games will teach us so many things, and hopefully, we can take those things and bring it to the next game so that we can get a win before we leave the Caribbean,” he added.
Bangladesh will conclude their Super 8 campaign against Afghanistan on Monday at Arnos Vale Stadium.