Bangladesh have kept their Asia Cup Super Four hopes alive with a victory over Afghanistan, and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Aminul Islam Bulbul has expressed satisfaction with the performance while highlighting areas that still require attention.
Speaking to the media in Mirpur on 17 September, Bulbul said the most encouraging aspect of the win was the way the team management implemented tactical changes. “I have seen some strategic changes in the team. The way the team management planned, it worked out wonderfully. All in all, the team played well,” he noted.
The BCB president identified Rishad Hossain’s spell as the turning point. The leg-spinner bowled two spells for figures of 2 for 18, with his wicket-to-wicket approach and well-timed variations proving decisive. “Taskin and Nasum bowled well, but the way Rishad bowled slower and adjusted his lines was outstanding. Even though it was just four overs, he seemed like a different bowler,” Bulbul said.
He added that other contributions, such as Tanzid Hasan Tamim’s batting and Taskin and Nasum’s tight spells, had also been crucial. Nasum, who faced pressure off the field recently, drew particular praise from Bulbul: “First of all, Nasum has my sympathies. When a player represents the country, he needs mental support. Overcoming his situation, the way he played his cricket is unbelievable.”
Bulbul also reflected on the team management’s decision to field four specialist bowlers, a move he admitted appeared risky from the outside. “I don’t know what the team management’s thoughts were, but at the end of the day we won,” he said.
While pleased with the victory, Bulbul stressed the need to improve Bangladesh’s batting rhythm during the middle overs. He pointed out that the scoring rate often drops between overs 7–14 and 14–18, costing the team valuable runs. “If we can maintain the pace during these periods, then scoring 190–200 runs is easily possible. Even yesterday we could have scored 190,” he explained.
Despite two wins from three matches in the group stage, Bangladesh’s qualification for the Super Four now depends on the outcome of the Sri Lanka–Afghanistan match. Bulbul remains hopeful, saying: “The boys are playing with everything they have. I hope we can go to the Super Four, Inshallah.”
