It’s a wake up call for the Bangladesh cricket team ahead of the ICC T20 Cricket World Cup 2024 when they suffered a humiliating defeat at home ground to Sri Lanka in their three-match T20 series after going down by 28 runs on Saturday.
Held at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, both the Tigers’ batter and bowlers faced a huge debacle, as they could not cross the target of 174 runs when they were bundled out for 146 runs.
In fact, the Tigers were beaten to Sri Lankan bowler Nuwan Thushara, who struck his maiden hat-trick in his tiny T20 cricket career following Kushal Mendis’ shattering 86 runs off 56 runs.
Both the Tigers’ bowlers and the batters could not prove their mettle in both batting and bowling, as they were outshined by the opponents in all departments.
Tigers bowlers could not stop the batter Kushal Mendis, who destroyed the Bangladesh bowling attacks to carry on the Sri Lankan innings to a fighting 174. Latter on, the only bowler Nuwan Thushara demolished the Bangladesh batting line-up with taking four top order batters including hat-trick when he also picked up a wicket late to have his first five wicket- haul.
Interestingly, it was eighth match in the T20 format for Thushara when the 29-year medium fast bowler played seven matches and had only six wickets and made his tally 11 from eight matches after claiming five wickets against Bangladesh on Saturday.
However, the Tigers’ batters and the bowlers could rarely shine with their combined efforts which is very much essential, as they did in the second match of this T20 series against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh and won the match comfortably.
Another thing very remarkable is that the top order batters of Bangladesh failed on most of the occasions, specially, the opening stand is not seen frequent very often, as they failed to pile up a solid foundation.
Not only the openers or the top orders, the middle order batters also cut a sorry figure, as the late orders have nothing to do or could fight.
The Sri Lanka series is a big lesson for the Tigers batters and bowlers.
As it’s only three months to go to take part in the ICC T20 Cricket World Cup 2024 to be held in USSA and in West Indies, the combined efforts from the batters and the bowlers is highly expected at least to fight against the strong opponents in the World Cup.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh will have Sri Lanka in their group in the World Cup and will begin their campaign with taking on the Lankans on June 7.
