Bangladesh’s collapsible batting

Bangladesh's cricket team has long showcased a spirited drive, yet in 2024, their performances, particularly with the bat, have repeatedly let them down.

Across formats, they have succumbed to a series of collapses, revealing a batting line-up riddled with inconsistency. 

The trouble began in the Test series against Sri Lanka in March, where Bangladesh failed to reach even 200 runs in three of their four innings. Despite a strong showing from the Sri Lankan batters, Bangladesh's efforts unravelled under pressure. In the second Test, they collapsed from 96 for 1 to 178 all out, a series that exposed the team's inability to stabilize innings against steady opposition.

This pattern extended into their T20I series against the USA in May. Bangladesh faced an unexpected series loss against a developing cricketing nation, with the second match exemplifying their struggle. Chasing 144, Bangladesh stumbled, losing six wickets for just 32 runs and ultimately fell short by six runs. This inability to chase a modest target against a comparatively inexperienced side highlighted underlying strategic and mental gaps within the squad.

The T20 World Cup amplified these issues further. Facing Afghanistan in a critical Super 8 match, Bangladesh's batting lineup capitulated, scoring only 105 with just three players reaching double digits. Bangladesh's failure to meet the required target within a specific over limit meant they lost their chance to advance to the semifinals. The Afghan bowlers exploited Bangladesh's hesitancy and lack of adaptability, making clear the necessity for a stronger game plan under challenging conditions.

Even though the pitches could be blamed for the low totals in the T20 world cup held in USA and the West Indies, Bangladesh's opponents adapted quite well which Bangladesh failed to do so as seen in the matches against South Africa, India or Australia.

In the historic series against Pakistan, Bangladesh managed a 2-0 victory but nearly faltered in the second match. At 26 for 6, it was only a gritty performance from Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Litton Das that kept Bangladesh afloat. This isolated display of resilience contrasted sharply with a year otherwise marred by fragile batting, showing the team's tendency to depend on individual performances rather than a cohesive approach.

Their clash with India laid bare even deeper batting issues, particularly in the T20 series where Bangladesh couldn't reach 150 in any of the three matches. In one instance, India put up a mammoth total of 297, while Bangladesh's response fell significantly short, reinforcing the contrast in batting capabilities. Analyst Murali Kartik captured the imbalance succinctly, noting that Bangladesh failed to reach even basic T20 scoring benchmarks, remarking "Bangladesh didn't reach 150 once in the T20 series."

The Test series was similarly disappointing, with India's dominance underscoring Bangladesh's inability to mount any sustained resistance, let alone match India's run rates.

Against South Africa on home soil, Bangladesh again struggled, suffering a humiliating defeat in Chattogram by an innings and 273 runs. On a pitch that should have been conducive to batting, Bangladesh's lineup showed limited application and poor technical adaptation, unable to capitalize on favourable conditions. The South African bowlers easily dismantled their batting order, exposing further weaknesses in both strategy and mental resilience.

The latest defeat, this time against Afghanistan, perhaps best encapsulates Bangladesh's year of batting woes. On 6 November in Sharjah, Bangladesh faced a third-largest defeat to Afghanistan in ODIs by a margin of 92 runs. After a promising start by their bowlers, who reduced Afghanistan to 71 for 5, Bangladesh's batters could not capitalize. Afghanistan's Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, only 18 years old, dismantled the batting order with a career-best 6 for 26, sparking a collapse where Bangladesh lost their last seven wickets for 23 runs. Bangladesh's pacers—Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, and Shoriful Islam—had shone by taking nine wickets, but the Bangladeshi batsmen faltered. Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto and Soumya Sarkar formed a promising 53-run stand, yet once Ghazanfar struck, the collapse was swift and decisive.

The impact of these losses extends beyond individual matches; it reflects a systemic problem with Bangladesh's batting. Former captain Aminul Islam Bulbul voiced his disappointment, stating, "After six years, I watched Bangladesh's match in Sharjah today as a guest of the Afghanistan Cricket Board. Wins and losses are part of the game, but I was genuinely shocked by the captaincy and the batting strategy. Everything seemed lacklustre; body language, focus on the ball, pre-ball routines – overall, the planning appeared very weak. I hope we can improve soon."

On the other hand, Najmul Hossain Shanto recognised the solid partnership built by Afghanistan's Hashmatullah Shahidi and Mohammad Nabi. "I don't think we needed to attack more. The pitch had low bounce, and we just had to bowl consistently in the right areas. But as I said, Hashmat and Nabi batted very well", said Shanto.

Bangladesh's batting challenges have exposed broader strategic issues. Throughout 2024, Bangladesh's lineup has yet to develop a reliable approach to countering various bowling styles. With formats, teams, and conditions shifting, Bangladesh's inability to secure stable partnerships and play under pressure has remained constant. As the team looks forward to upcoming matches, a renewed emphasis on strengthening mental resilience, improving shot selection, and better adapting to differing game conditions will be essential if Bangladesh is to shake off its reputation for batting collapses and achieve consistency across all formats.