Towhid Hridoy has warned that Bangladesh will struggle to succeed in international cricket if they continue to approach matches with a defensive mindset, after another batting collapse led to a seven-wicket defeat by Afghanistan in the ODI tri-series in Sharjah.
Bangladesh were bowled out for 160 in 41.2 overs on Wednesday, leaving Afghanistan with a modest target that they chased down for the loss of three wickets. The result followed a 99-run defeat against Zimbabwe and intensified concerns about Bangladesh’s batting away from home.
Hridoy, Bangladesh’s stand-in captain, admitted that the team had repeatedly failed to respond when pressure mounted, with too many batters falling in quick succession.
“Playing with a defensive mindset makes it difficult to succeed in international cricket,” Hridoy said after the defeat. “When the whole team collapses, we are unable to recover. We need better plans.”
The Bangladesh captain said the team must adapt more quickly to conditions overseas and respond to the demands of individual match situations rather than relying on words alone.
“I agree that we have not been playing well away from home. It has been almost a year and a half,” he said. “Adapting quickly to overseas conditions is important. We also need to act according to the demands of the match situation. Saying it is not enough. We are failing to put it into action, and that is a failure by our batters.”
Hridoy also highlighted the need for individual players to steady the innings after early wickets, rather than allowing a collapse to spread through the batting order.
“When wickets fall quickly, one or two players need to take responsibility and move the team from a difficult position to a better one,” he said.
Hridoy said Bangladesh had discussed their problems and needed to turn those conversations into improved performances. He pointed to consistency and mindset as crucial factors in handling pressure.
He also defended the team’s overall ability, noting that several batters had scored runs during recent home matches, even though Bangladesh had failed to meet expectations in the Zimbabwe series and the UAE tri-series.
With the Asia Cup approaching, Hridoy urged his team to find solutions quickly.
“Everyone in the team wants to win the World Cup or Asia Cup,” he said. “We talk about that hunger, but we are not translating it into action.”
Bangladesh must now address the recurring batting failures and show greater composure when the pressure rises if they are to improve their results in upcoming international cricket.
