Before the fine win against England, which helped them assure themselves of a berth in the next stage of the WC, Bangladesh had defeated Afghanistan by 105 runs and split points with Australia after the game was washed out. They were on the wrong end of a 92-run win to Sri Lanka but they got themselves back into the reckoning by pulling off the second-highest chase in World Cup history against Scotland. Then, England happened. Mashrafe Mortaza’s side had done brilliantly, and they would have possibly gone on to do more if it weren’t for a few unlucky calls that went against them during the quarter-final clash against India.
Record in the World Cup: Played 7, won 3, lost 3, no result 1.
High Point: Images of Bangladesh players on a victory lap after their win against England will rank amongst the best of the tournament. Bangladesh have had to endure harsh World Cups in the past. They have often failed in going past the group stages – even when the tournament was played at home, but 2015 changed all that. The win against England will feature as one of their most triumphant moments ever. Led by Mahmudullah historic century – the first ever by a Bangladesh player in World Cups, Mushfiqur Rahim’s pacy fifty and Rubel Hossain’s brilliant four-wicket haul, the Asian side were able to beat England by fifteen runs and seal a spot in the final-eight.
Low Point: The thumping they had at the hands of Sri Lanka. Having failed to impress much in their first two games, Sri Lanka came out swinging in their third game and Bangladesh had to bear the brunt. Big centuries by Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara absolutely pounded Bangladesh to the ground. Bangladesh could not take more than the first wicket of Lahiru Thirimanne and most of their bowlers were left ducking for cover against Sri Lanka’s experienced duo. With the bat, too, Bangladesh failed to draw themselves a silver lining and they were beaten by 92 runs.
Most Valuable Player: Without a doubt, Mahmudullah. The middle order batsman was Bangladesh’s most consistent player during the World Cup. Coming into the tournament with a decent run of scores behind him, Mahmudullah eased into the World Cup with handy cameos against Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. However, he stepped onto another plane soon after. His run-a-ball 62 against Scotland was instrumental in Bangladesh chasing down Scotland’s 318/8. He showed he was ready to be Bangladesh’s Mr. Consistent and put in a stunning display against England and New Zealand.
His 103 against England was the first time a Bangladesh player scored a hundred, and it also allowed Mortaza’s side to knock out England and reserve their seat for a quarter-final. Just to show the hundred against England was no fluke, Mahmudullah slammed an even better 128* against the best bowling attack in world cricket – New Zealand. Bangladesh went on to lose that game, but it showed what they are capable of. Also, what Mahmudullah can be capable of.
Major Disappointment: Imrul Kayes. The left-hander was brought into the side mid-way into the tournament after an injury ruled out Anamul Haque’s further participation. He scored a total of 9 runs in the three games he played, with a top score of five against India.
Verdict: Bangladesh will look back at this World Cup fondly. Not only did they go past the group stage, they also showed that they can compete, trouble and, with some luck, beat the powerhouses. Barring their bad display against Sri Lanka, Bangladesh had a solid World Cup. They even had teams like New Zealand and India in trouble, but could not kill the game off. If there’s something they need to work on, it would be that.
Source: Cricbuzz
