Bangladesh are all set to face Sri Lanka in their first Super Four round match on Saturday at Dubai International Cricket Stadium. But before stepping onto the field, the Tigers must address a pressing issue, finding the right balance in their playing XI.
Their decision to go in with just four bowlers against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi has already raised questions. Alongside, Towhid Hridoy’s poor form and batting approach remain concerns for the team management.
On 16 September, Bangladesh played Afghanistan with four frontline bowlers, opting instead for batting depth to counter the Afghan attack. That gamble nearly backfired, as Saif Hassan and Shamim Patwari had to share the fifth-bowling duties.
The part-timers proved expensive, conceding 55 runs in just four overs. Eventually, Rishad Hossain and Nasum Ahmed saved the day, combining for five wickets to secure a hard-fought 8-run victory that kept Bangladesh’s Super Four hopes alive. Their qualification was confirmed later when Sri Lanka defeated Afghanistan on Thursday night.
However, that risky combination is unlikely to succeed against stronger oppositions like India, Pakistan alongside Sri Lanka.
Conditions in Dubai are expected to assist spinners, a trend already visible. India fielded three spinners, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy in their opener against the UAE, while Pakistan went even heavier with four against Oman, including wrist-spinners Abrar Ahmed and Sufyan Muqeem.
Keeping that in mind, Bangladesh are likely to add an extra spinner. Shak Mahedi Hasan emerges as a strong candidate. Sri Lanka featured four left-hand batters in both of their matches against Bangladesh and Afghanistan. From a matchup perspective, Mahedi could be highly effective in the middle overs. Of his 59 T20I wickets, 29 have been left-handers.
Moreover, Mahedi’s lower-order batting adds depth. If he plays, Nasum could also take up the new-ball role, as he has done before.
Alternatively, Bangladesh could recall Tanzim Hasan Sakib to strengthen their seam-bowling stocks and fill the void of a fifth bowler. If either Mahedi or Tanzim returns, the middle order may need trimming. Jaker Ali seems the likeliest omission after scoring an unconvincing 12 not out off 13 balls against Afghanistan, including five dot balls in the death overs.
Though he was working on his off-side shots and pull strokes in Friday’s nets, concerns remain about his limited shots range. Shamim Patwari is another candidate under scrutiny, with Nurul Hasan Sohan waiting in the wings for his second game of the tournament.
Meanwhile, all eyes remain on Towhid Hridoy. His hesitant approach has frustrated Bangladesh during this Asia Cup. To address his struggles against spin in the middle overs, Hridoy was seen working closely with spin bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed. While there were whispers he might be dropped, captain Litton Das and the coaching panel appear keen to back him for now. Saturday could well be a defining game for Hridoy to repay the team’s faith and silence his critics.
