Bangladesh skipper Mortaza urges caution on World Cup hopes
AFP
BANGLADESH captain Mashrafe Mortaza has poured cold water on fan hopes for this month’s World Cup, warning that the seventh-ranked team was facing an uphill battle in the group stage.
Supporters were jubilant after a tri-nation series win against Ireland and West Indies on the weekend handed Bangladesh their first-ever multi-team tournament trophy.
Bangladesh showed they can compete with cricket’s elite nations when they advanced to the Champions Trophy semi-finals two years ago from a strong group featuring England, Australia and New Zealand.
Significantly for their hopes in this edition of the World Cup, that memorable campaign came in England.
It was also further proof of their emergence following a maiden World Cup quarterfinal berth in 2015.
But Mashrafe’s side start the Cup race with a bracing fixture against South Africa, New Zealand and top-ranked hosts England in their first three matches.
“It will be difficult for us because our opponents in the opening three games are extremely strong,” Mashrafe told reporters late Tuesday before heading to England.
“To get a positive result against them won’t be easy.”
Bangladesh twice beat eighth-ranked West Indies in the tri-nation warmup tournament, including in Friday’s final.
Mashrafe said the win had heightened expectations of Bangladesh fans, along with other recent triumphs including the side’s semi-finals appearance at the 2017 Champions Trophy.
“In the last five to seven years, people have started to come to watch us with expectations that we will win,” he said.
“All I can say is that the World Cup will be a different ball game. If you follow cricket in England, you will see that a lot of runs are scored. It will need a different approach.”
Bangladesh hope to at least match their previous best performance in a World Cup, reaching the quarterfinals in 2015.