ODI World Cup 2023: Bangladesh’s initial optimism continues to fade as semis loom large
The HinduThe Bangladesh fans did everything they could. “We would still like to finish up the table, if not semifinalists, then fifth or sixth,” Shakib told official broadcasters, making it clear that in the remaining four matches, Bangladesh’s aim would be to restore some pride. At a time when most teams were busy fine-tuning their squads, the Bangladesh cricket team was caught in a tangle between the two stars of the team - captain Shakib and erstwhile skipper Tamim Iqbal. “Things went haywire over the last three months, with so many turns of events - from Tamim’s injury to him announcing retirement, making a comeback and Shakib taking over again. We won the series in South Africa and beat quite a few big teams - including India - so we were in good shape…” Fans cheer for Bangladesh’s team during the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup one-day international match between South Africa and Bangladesh at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on October 24, 2023.