Shanto believes Bangladesh's Champions Trophy fight was ‘inspiring’

Bangladesh's Champions Trophy campaign ended in disappointment, but captain Najmul Hossain Shanto took encouragement from their bowling performances.

Bangladesh had been away from ODI cricket for a long time. After an eight-month gap since their last series in March 2024, they returned to the format, but the experience was far from ideal. Losing 2-1 to Afghanistan in Sharjah, followed by a 3-0 whitewash against the West Indies in December, put them on the back foot.

Despite this, Najmul Hossain Shanto remained optimistic, setting lofty goals for the Champions Trophy and speaking about Bangladesh's title ambitions before departing for the tournament.

However, those aspirations quickly faded as Bangladesh struggled with a dismal batting display, managing only low scores in defeats to India and New Zealand, which confirmed their early exit. Yet, their bowling performances provided some positives. Even with modest targets to defend, Bangladesh's bowlers fought hard in both matches, something Shanto views as a source of encouragement.

Bangladesh managed to take four wickets while defending 228 against India, stretching the match into the 47th over. Apart from Rohit Sharma, India's batters found scoring difficult, with even Player of the Match Shubman Gill taking his time to reach a century—the slowest by an Indian batsman in a global tournament since the 2019 World Cup. Similarly, New Zealand needed until the 47th over to chase down Bangladesh's 236.

Reflecting on their ability to fight despite low scores, Shanto said, "If you look at our last two matches, we may have lost, but the way we stayed in the game for a long time was very inspiring for us. Hopefully, we can identify the small mistakes we made, plan accordingly, and implement those plans properly in the future. The positive thing is that we made good comebacks in both matches and stayed in the contest for extended periods."

Having already been eliminated after back-to-back defeats, Bangladesh were set to play their final group match against Pakistan. However, persistent rain led to the match being abandoned without a ball being bowled. Speaking after the match was called off, Shanto expressed his disappointment, saying, "Of course, it's frustrating (not being able to play), but some things are beyond our control. We wanted to play this match. But this is cricket, and such things happen, so I'm not too upset about it."

While Bangladesh's batting remained a major concern, Shanto was pleased with the team's bowling attack, particularly the pace department, which has historically been a weakness. "I'm really happy with how our pacers have been performing. In the past, our bowling, especially fast bowling, has been a major struggle. But in recent years, we've seen a significant rise in quality pacers. Even those back home are doing a fantastic job," he said.

"As a captain, I'm very pleased. The way Hasan Mahmud and Taskin Ahmed are bowling makes me really happy. We also have the experienced Mustafizur Rahman in the squad. Overall, our bowling attack looks strong. Our spin department has always been good, and now we have a leg-spinner in Rishad Hossain. The bowling unit is in good shape. I hope they continue to adapt to match situations and give their best for the team," Shanto added.

Towhid Hridoy scored a century against India, making 110 off 118 balls, while Jaker Ali Anik made 68 from 114 deliveries. Against New Zealand, Shanto himself scored 77 off 110 balls. Their low strike rates painted a clear picture of Bangladesh's batting struggles. Acknowledging this as a serious concern, Shanto said, "Of course (strike rotation is a problem). I think we need to work on it in the nets, focusing on how we can rotate the strike better and prepare for different match situations. The way we train and apply ourselves in matches is crucial. Hopefully, the players will understand what needs to be done."