Bangladesh's T20 World Cup Hopes Crushed by Afghanistan

Bangladesh's T20 World Cup semi-final hopes were dashed after a disappointing chase against Afghanistan in Kingstown. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto revealed that the team initially aimed to win within 12.1 overs to qualify for the semi-finals but abandoned the plan after losing three early wickets.

Despite restricting Afghanistan to 115 for 5, Bangladesh's chase faltered with a slow start, losing three wickets in the first three overs. Shanto admitted that the middle-order failed to make sound decisions, leading to their eventual defeat.

Former captain Mashrafe Mortaza criticized Bangladesh's lack of clarity and urgency, stating that the team should have focused solely on winning within 12.1 overs. He emphasized that the opportunity to make history was missed due to poor decision-making.

Bangladesh's tactical blunder of holding back Towhid Hridoy, their most consistent batter, to No. 6 also proved costly. Shanto explained that the team aimed for a left-right combination, but the move backfired.

Shanto acknowledged that Bangladesh's net run rate situation could have been better if they had shown more urgency in their previous match against India. He expressed regret for the team's performance and apologized to the fans for letting them down.

Tags: #T20WorldCup, #Bangladesh, #Afghanistan, #NajmulHossainShanto, #MashrafeMortaza