Bangladesh’s woes in ICC events continued as their batting lineup once again faltered on the big stage, leading to an early exit from the Champions Trophy 2025. Despite having a promising bowling attack, their inability to put up competitive totals proved costly.Senior Players Under Fire
Former Indian batter Wasim Jaffer didn’t hold back in his criticism, particularly targeting senior players Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim for their poor shot selection in the crucial five-wicket loss to New Zealand. With Bangladesh reeling at five down in the 27th over, New Zealand had little trouble chasing down the modest target.
“We’ve only seen probably Shakib [Al Hasan] shine, especially in the 2019 World Cup,” JafferBut I don’t know if it’s the pressure or if they put too much on themselves. They just don’t turn up.”
Mahmudullah has had his moments in ICC events—his back-to-back centuries in the 2015 World Cup and a ton against New Zealand in the 2017 Champions Trophy stand out. However, in this tournament, he missed the first match due to injury and self-destructed in the second.
Bowling Shows Promise, But Batting Fails Again
Former New Zealand pacer Shane Bond believes Bangladesh’s bowling attack has plenty of potential, but the batting unit let them down.
“I like the look of their bowling attack,” Bond said. “They have the pace, the left-arm variation [Mustafizur Rahman], which teams like New Zealand and England don’t have. The spinners are good. But in the end, the batting was the problem.”
Missed chances in the field also proved costly. Rachin Ravindra was let off twice—dropped on 93 by Mehidy Hasan Miraz and then on 106 by Mahmudullah. Earlier, a missed run-out opportunity at 26 allowed him to build a match-winning innings.
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Coaching Frustrations
Bond, who has vast experience coaching in franchise T20 leagues, acknowledged that such performances can frustrate any coach.
“It’s natural for a coach to feel grumpy after a performance like this,” he said. “But you want to create an environment where players feel confident executing their plans. If they stick to the strategy and lose, that’s acceptable. But if they don’t, then it becomes difficult.”
Jaffer further emphasized that Bangladesh’s total was at least “50 to 60 runs short” on a batting-friendly Rawalpindi pitch.
“They could have easily put 300-plus on that surface,” Jaffer noted. “They have themselves to blame. Expecting the bowlers to restrict a strong side like New Zealand to under 240 was always going to be a tough ask.”
What’s Next for Bangladesh?
With another ICC event disappointment in the books, questions loom over the team’s future. Can the senior players step up when it matters? Or is it time for a new generation to take over? One thing is certain—if Bangladesh wants to compete at the highest level, their batting unit must find a way to deliver under pressure.
