ICC Champions Trophy 2017: Five negatives for Bangladesh from the tournament

Bangladesh Cricket team and their fans all over the world can be mighty proud of the performance of their side in the eighth edition of the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 in England.

The team entered this iconic tournament as the underdogs but their sheer grit along with resilience to improve their game and showcase talent on the world stage enabled them to craft their way into the final four stage of the tournament.

In the league match against the Kiwis, the team was down and dusted after early jitters while chasing a huge first innings total of 266 runs. Everybody in the stadium and the fans back home gave up the idea of an uncanny victory but the two young players in the middle order for the Tigers, Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah had other ideas as they scripted their way to a famous win with an epic 224 run stand for the fifth wicket.

The win ensured that the finalists of the 2015 edition of the World Cup, New Zealand were knocked out of the competition from the group stage. Despite the win, a spot for the final four of the tournament was largely dependent on the outcome of the match between Australia and the home team.

A masterclass from Ben Stokes combined with a crucial half-century from skipper Morgan ensured that the Australian team was knocked out of the tournament. This result paved way for a new chapter in the history of Bangladesh cricket as they registered their first appearance in the final four of any ICC event.

Unfortunately, the Tigers could not get past the reigning champions, India in the second semi-finals of the tournament after being comprehensively outclassed by nine wickets at Birmingham

Things could have been slightly different for the Bangladesh team if the following five things would not have happened in the tournament.

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#5 Failure at the top of the order

Soumya Sarkar failed to get going in the tournament

One of the main reason, the Bangladesh team have struggled with the bat in this Champions Trophy is the inconsistency at the top of the order. The Tigers have failed to stitch a solid opening partnership throughout the tournament, mainly due to the lack of runs by Soumya Sarkar.

The left-hander accounted for a horror run with the bat after registering just 34 runs in the four matches.

The 24-year-old started the tournament on a positive note after scoring 28 runs in the inaugural match of the tournament against England but soon lost his touch and managed to score just three runs each in the following two matches against Australia and New Zealand.

Sarkar failed to perform with the bat yet again in the semi-finals of the tournament after he was castled by Bhuvneshwar Kumar without troubling the scorers in the very first over of the match.

#4 Big match temperament

Tamim Iqbal laid a strong platform with a well compiled 70 at the top of the order

The nerves of playing in the semifinals of the ICC event against the defending champions and lack of big match temperament were the two factors evident in the batting effort of the Bangladesh outfit as they failed to capitalise on the solid platform laid at the top of the order.

The most experienced players in the team, Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim faltered in the middle overs as they lost their wickets within a span of 25 runs. After being at 154 for the loss of two wickets, the Tigers slumped to 179 for five wickets with their experienced players back in the pavilion.

These crucial wickets in the middle overs enabled the match to shift in favour of the Indian team as they managed to squeeze in some tight overs and ensured a below par score.

#3 Lack of quality spinner to support Shakib Al Hasan

Lack of spin bowling options is hurting Bangladesh cricket

One of the major areas of concern for the Bangladesh team will be the lack of support for Shakib Al Hasan in the bowling department. The 30-year-old is a vital cog in the bowling setup of the Tigers and has single-handedly bailed the side out with crucial performances that have changed the course of the match.

Although Shakib has been an outstanding performer for the team, he has lacked support from the other end after the management failed to find an ideal bowling partner to create pressure in the middle overs.

With plenty of runs on offer from the other end, the opposition team look to negotiate the spell bowled by left-arm spinner without taking any risk.

#2 Lacklustre tournament for Mustafizur Rahman

The Fizz failed to create any impact with the ball

Mustafizur Rahman is one the most exciting players to emerge from the Bangladesh unit. With plenty of variations up his sleeve, the 21-year-old has shown immense promise in the early stage of his international career.

The left-arm pacer was touted as the trump card for the Tigers in this prestigious tournament but failed to live up to the expectations as he managed to pick up only one wicket and that of Adam Milne in the tournament.

In the four matches, the Fizz conceded 183 runs and scalped just one wicket which resulted in the downfall for the Bangladesh outfit.

#1 Skipper failing to lead from the front

During the course of four matches, he managed to pick up just two wickets

Mashrafe Mortaza encountered a horrendous run in the Champions Trophy as he failed to lead the team from the front with some powerful performances. Despite being plagued by injuries throughout his career, he remains to be a vital cog in the bowling unit.

The right arm medium pacer is known for his control with the new ball and his consistency with the line and length. The 33-year-old is currently in the twilight of his career and his failure to provide crucial breakthroughs at the top of the order did not help the team’s cause.

During the course of four matches, he managed to pick up just two wickets and in turn leaked 160 runs. Lack of aggressive captaincy in the semi-finals against India also resulted in the defending champions registering a comprehensive nine-wicket victory.