The Bangladesh national cricket team has set off from Sri Lanka to Pakistan to participate in their pivotal encounter against Afghanistan in the ongoing Asia Cup, set to take place in Lahore, reports UNB.
Bangladesh faced a disheartening loss in their first match against Sri Lanka, where they succumbed by a substantial margin of five wickets. This makes their upcoming clash with Afghanistan a do-or-die scenario.
The looming threat of elimination from the Asia Cup hangs heavy over Bangladesh. Should they face defeat in their second match scheduled for September 3rd, Afghanistan will secure their place in the Super Fours. Conversely, a triumph will keep Bangladesh's hopes alive in the tournament.
Najmul Hossain Shanto, the sole batter who exhibited resilience in their first match against Sri Lanka's formidable bowling attack, remains optimistic about their chances of advancing.
"We still believe it," he asserted. "But, for now, we should concentrate solely on the next match. We’ll think about other things after that match."
Shanto also expressed his dissatisfaction with the condition of the pitch in the first match, expressing the team's anticipation of a more favorable sporting wicket in the Asia Cup.
However, the captain of the Bangladesh team attributed their defeat to the performance of the batters. He lauded the bowlers for fulfilling their roles efficiently despite the meager total on the scoreboard.
According to the captain, it falls upon the batters to elevate their performance in the second match and revive their aspirations of reaching the Super Fours.
The Bangladesh team is scheduled to arrive in Lahore by Friday evening, where they will engage in a training session on Saturday.
Bd-pratidin English/Tanvir Raihan
