Bangladeshi fans are eagerly waiting to see the Tigers in action in a marquee competition in USA for the first time as they will begin their 2024 ICC T20 World Cup campaign against Sri Lanka in Dallas on June 7.
However, given Bangladesh鈥檚 recent performances in the format, the fans have started believing that they will have a hard time earning victories over their opponents.
鈥業 am very excited to be a Bangladeshi and see Bangladesh鈥檚 first World Cup appearance in the USA. I have been living in the USA since 1996 but never had the chance to see Bangladesh playing a World Cup here,鈥� said Shumit Ahmed, who lives in Texas.
鈥業 have fond memories related to cricket from my childhood. My family members used to watch matches regularly. I also watched the games of India and Pakistan since Bangladesh were not that popular back then.鈥�
Bangladesh tasted one bitter experience after another in the last month as they suffered a defeat in the final game of their five-match home series against Zimbabwe, and although they had sealed the series with four wins in the previous games, that defeat raised some eyebrows regarding their preparation for the showpiece event, which commenced on Sunday.
Chandika Hathurusingha and his charges continued the frustrating run in the next series as they were outclassed by USA, suffering a 2-1 defeat against the hosts in a three-match T20I series.
Bangladesh couldn鈥檛 turn the tables in their warm-up match either as they suffered a 60-run loss to India.
All these defeats have given Bangladeshi fans the firm belief that securing a victory in the ninth edition of the ICC T20 World Cup will be difficult for them. At the same time, they also expect the majority of the games to be high-scoring, something Bangladesh have failed to do in recent matches.
鈥楥onsidering Bangladesh鈥檚 recent outing against USA and the past series against Zimbabwe, I don鈥檛 expect much from Bangladesh, honestly speaking. Yes, the game against Sri Lanka is going to be high-scoring,鈥� Shumit said.
Another fan named Azim from the same city says it will be a hard job for the Tigers to reach the Super Eights, and if they want to move into the next stage, they need to play their best in all the three departments.
鈥楲ook, Taskin Ahmed is not fully fit; subsequently, Shoriful Islam needed six stitches in his bowling hand. So, it would be a tough job for them to qualify in the second round,鈥� he said.