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Published : 30 Oct 2025, 10:13 PM
Bangladesh captain Litton Das had set the tone ahead of the T20 series against the West Indies: the team’s goal was not just to win the series, but to test themselves against specific challenges in batting and bowling ahead of the World Cup.
Yet, before that plan could fully take shape, the series slipped away, leaving the team’s batting lineup looking chaotic.
While the top order shows relative stability, the middle and lower-middle order is a puzzle. Nothing seems to be clicking. Particularly in the middle order, the team repeatedly loses focus, costing crucial momentum.
Statistically, Bangladesh’s T20 record this year is not disastrous by domestic standards: 26 matches played, 13 won, 12 lost, and one abandoned. The team also secured four consecutive series wins.
Major tournaments, including the Asia Cup, failed to meet expectations. Despite improvements in strike rates and six-hitting frequency, the persistent middle-order weakness continues to haunt the team.
Chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain, who observed the matches firsthand, expressed his disappointment to bdnews24.com.
"Before the T20 World Cup, we do not have many matches in hand. In the few remaining games, there is limited scope to see major changes," he said.
"Even after playing so many matches, if players cannot grasp responsibility or understand their strengths, it is truly frustrating. In batting, we often rush without assessing the situation.
“Batsmen should reflect on which balls to play, where mistakes occur, and how to adjust. Answering these questions brings clarity."
He added that consulting video analysts is essential.
"Sometimes, when dot balls accumulate, even set batters in a partnership need counselling. Shots may not come off, but rotating the strike reduces pressure. If one batter is set, they can compensate for dot balls and occasionally extract runs."
Ashraf also lamented the team’s inability to build meaningful partnerships.
"A 40-run partnership where 20 would suffice can turn a lagging match around. The oppositions bring their strike bowlers to break it, then easier bowlers follow. In both matches, our top-order batters could have maintained their partnerships and rotated the strike to target key overs."
The middle order’s underperformance is compounded by uncertainty over batting positions. Who bats where and when remains unpredictable, and the team management struggles to convey clear roles.
“Only Towhid Hridoy has consistently batted in a set position -- fourth -- in 17 of 20 innings this year, with minor deviations.
Other players have seen constant reshuffling. Jaker Ali has batted in four different positions across 21 innings, Saif Hassan, initially envisioned for the middle order, now opens for seven innings, and Shamim Hossain, the team’s finisher, has rotated between four and seven. Nurul Hasan Sohan has batted in three different positions in seven innings.
In T20 cricket, adapting batting order mid-game is sometimes necessary, but typically, players have defined roles. Frequent reshuffles erode confidence, blur responsibilities, and hinder consistency.
The consequences are evident on the field: lack of stability, disjointed planning, poor execution under pressure, inability to finish matches, and absence of large innings when required.
Ashraf sees a mismatch between strategic planning and execution.
"Our approach does not always align with their style of play. If we cannot score eight runs per over, strike rotation is essential. Situations change, and batters must adjust accordingly.
“Just as one observes lines in a fortune-telling crystal, in cricket one must remain alert to alternative approaches. Strength alone is not enough; timing, technique, and application matter. Mastering these aspects can overcome problems."
He stresses that underperforming players should not be discarded hastily: "Those who are struggling have invested time. They may get more chances. Some will play in the Emerging Teams Asia Cup to find rhythm.
“The BPL will offer opportunities to perform under match conditions. Multiple chances may arise, but it is up to the players to resolve their issues. Coaches can guide, demonstrate, and discuss strategies in practice, but the execution lies with the cricketers themselves."
