Bangladesh Cricket Team: A Dark Horse for the World Cup 2023

The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 is less than a month away and all the 10 participating teams have announced their 15-member squads for the mega event. The tournament will be held entirely in India from October 7 to November 26, with a round-robin stage followed by the knockouts. The top four teams of the World Cup 2023 Points Table will qualify for the semi-finals.

One of the teams that will be eyeing to make it to the top four is Bangladesh, who have been improving steadily in the ODI format in recent years. Bangladesh have reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup in 2015 and 2019, and will be hoping to go one step further this time. They have also won their maiden multi-nation tournament, the Ireland Tri-Nation Series, in 2019 and reached the final of the Asia Cup in 2018 and 2020.

Bangladesh have announced a balanced squad for the World Cup 2023, led by their star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan. The squad features experienced players like Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, and Mustafizur Rahman, as well as young talents like Najmul Hossain Shanto, Liton Das, and Shoriful Islam. Bangladesh have also included some surprise picks like Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Tawhid Hridoy, and Tanzim Hasan Sakib, who have impressed in the domestic circuit.

In this blog post, we will look at some of the aspects of the Bangladesh cricket team that make them a formidable contender for the World Cup 2023. We will cover:

– Their strong batting line-up that can score big runs on any surface.

– Their hidden gems who can surprise their opponents with their skills and talent.

– Their records with other teams and their chances of qualifying for the semi-finals.

– Their best players and fantasy picks who can help you win big in your fantasy leagues.

Strong Batting Line-up

Bangladesh have a strong batting line-up that can score big runs on any surface. They have a mix of aggressive and stable batsmen who can adapt to different situations.

Shakib Al Hasan is their best batsman and also their most valuable player. He is ranked second in the ICC Men’s ODI All-Rounder Rankings and sixth in the ICC Men’s ODI Batting Rankings. He has scored 6487 runs and taken 274 wickets in 216 ODIs. He is also the only player to score more than 600 runs and take more than 10 wickets in a single edition of the World Cup (2019).

Mushfiqur Rahim is another key batsman for Bangladesh. He is their most experienced player with 232 ODIs under his belt. He has scored 6472 runs at an average of 37.02 and a strike rate of 80.57. He is also a reliable wicket-keeper who can effect crucial dismissals behind the stumps. Mahmudullah is another senior player who can anchor the innings and also provide some big hits in the end overs. He has scored 4336 runs and taken 77 wickets in 197 ODIs.

Najmul Hossain Shanto is a young batsman who has been appointed as the vice-captain of the squad. He has shown great promise and consistency in his short career so far. He has scored 1011 runs at an average of 40.44 and a strike rate of 83.55 in 28 ODIs. He has also scored three centuries, including a career-best 173 against New Zealand earlier this year. Liton Das is another exciting batsman who can open the innings or bat in the middle order. He has scored 2224 runs at an average of 34.21 and a strike rate of 92.86 in 67 ODIs. He has also scored four centuries, including a career-best 176 against Zimbabwe last year.

Hidden Gems

Bangladesh also have some hidden gems who can surprise their opponents with their skills and talent. Tawhid Hridoy is a young all-rounder who can bat in the middle order and bowl off-spin. He has scored 1059 runs and taken 25 wickets in 32 List A matches. He has also captained Bangladesh Under-19 team to the semi-finals of the ICC Under-19 World Cup 2020. Tanzid Hasan Tamim is another promising batsman who can open the innings or bat at number three. He has scored 1156 runs in 28 List A matches, with a highest score of 176. He was also the leading run-scorer for Bangladesh Under-19 team in the ICC Under-19 World Cup 2020, with 302 runs in six matches. Tanzim Hasan Sakib is a fast bowler who can generate good pace and bounce. He has taken 35 wickets in 24 List A matches, with a best of 5 for 28. He was also the joint second-highest wicket-taker for Bangladesh Under-19 team in the ICC Under-19 World Cup 2020, with 12 wickets in six matches.

Records with Other Teams

Bangladesh have played against all the other nine teams participating in the World Cup 2023 at least once in the ODI format. They have won against seven of them, except India and New Zealand. They have also drawn one series each with England and South Africa. Here is a summary of their head-to-head records with the other teams:

| — | — | — | — | — | — | — |

| India | 37 | 5 | 30 | 1 | 1 | 14.86 |

| New Zealand | 36 | 10 | 26 | – | – | 27.78 |

| Australia | 22 | 1 | 20 | – | 1 | 4.55 |

| England | 21 | 4 | 16 | – | 1 | 19.05 |

| South Africa | 21 | 5 | 15 | – | 1 | 23.81 |

| Pakistan | 37 | 7 | 29 | – | 1 | 18.92 |

| Sri Lanka | 48 | 8 | 39 | – | 1 |16.67 |

| West Indies|39|15|23|-|1|38.46|

| Afghanistan|9|5|4|-|-|55.56|

As we can see, Bangladesh have a poor record against India and New Zealand, who are among the favorites to win the World Cup. They have also struggled against Australia and England, who are also strong contenders. However, they have a decent record against Pakistan and Sri Lanka, who are also in their group in the World Cup. They have also dominated West Indies and Afghanistan in recent times, who are also in their group.

Chances of Qualifying for the Semi-finals

Bangladesh are placed in Group B of the World Cup along with India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, West Indies, and Afghanistan. They will play six matches in the round-robin stage, starting from October 10 to November 12. They will face India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, West Indies, and Afghanistan in that order. They will need to win at least four matches to have a realistic chance of qualifying for the semi-finals.

Bangladesh have a tough challenge ahead of them as they will face two of the strongest teams in the world, India and New Zealand, in their first two matches. They will need to pull off a major upset to beat either of them. However, they can take confidence from their recent performances against these teams. They have beaten India in the 2007 World Cup and the 2012 Asia Cup. They have also beaten New Zealand in the 2017 Champions Trophy and the 2021 ODI series at home.

Bangladesh have a better chance of winning against Pakistan, Sri Lanka, West Indies, and Afghanistan, who are also in their group. They have beaten Pakistan in the 1999 World Cup and the 2015 ODI series at home. They have also beaten Sri Lanka in the 2019 World Cup and the 2021 ODI series at home. They have dominated West Indies in the last two ODI series in 2018 and 2021. They have also won five out of nine ODIs against Afghanistan.

Bangladesh will need to play with consistency, passion, and skill to qualify for the semi-finals of the World Cup 2023. They have a balanced squad that can challenge any team on their day. They have some experienced players who can lead from the front and some young players who can provide fresh energy and enthusiasm. They have some hidden gems who can surprise their opponents with their talent and potential. They have a strong batting line-up that can score big runs on any surface. They also have a decent bowling attack that can take wickets and restrict runs.

Bangladesh are a dark horse for the World Cup 2023. They have the ability and the ambition to make history and reach the semi-finals for the first time. They have the support and the love of millions of fans who will cheer them on every step of the way. They have nothing to lose and everything to gain. They are ready to roar and make their presence felt in the biggest stage of cricket.

Best Players and Fantasy Picks

If you are a fantasy cricket player who wants to win big in your leagues, you should consider picking some of the best players from Bangladesh who can give you maximum points with their performances. Here are some of the best players and fantasy picks from Bangladesh for the World Cup 2023:

– Shakib Al Hasan: He is a must-have player in your fantasy team as he is an all-rounder who can contribute with both bat and ball. He is also a consistent performer who can score runs and take wickets in any conditions. He is also a captaincy option as he can lead by example and inspire his teammates.

– Mushfiqur Rahim: He is another reliable player who can score runs and keep wickets for your fantasy team. He is also a finisher who can accelerate the scoring rate in the end overs. He is also a vice-captaincy option as he can guide his team with his experience and calmness.

– Najmul Hossain Shanto: He is a young player who can score big runs for your fantasy team. He is also a vice-captain of Bangladesh who can show his leadership skills and responsibility. He is also an opener who can give your team a solid start.

– Liton Das: He is another young player who can score quick runs for your fantasy team. He is also a wicket-keeper who can earn you extra points with his catches and stumpings. He is also a flexible player who can bat at any position.

– Mehidy Hasan Miraz: He is a spinner who can take wickets and bowl economically for your fantasy team. He is also a handy batsman who can score some useful runs down the order. He is also an option for captaincy or vice-captaincy as he can influence the game with his all-round skills.

– Mustafizur Rahman: He is a fast bowler who can take wickets and bowl at crucial stages for your fantasy team. He is also known for his variations and yorkers that can trouble any batsman. He is also an option for captaincy or vice-captaincy as he can change the course of the game with his bowling.

– Tawhid Hridoy: He is a hidden gem who can surprise your opponents with his all-round skills. He is a middle-order batsman who can score runs and stabilize the innings. He is also an off-spinner who can bowl tight overs and take wickets.

– Tanzid Hasan Tamim: He is another hidden gem who can surprise your opponents with his batting skills. He is an opener who can score runs at a fast pace and put pressure on the bowlers. He is also a fielder who can save runs and take catches.

– Tanzim Hasan Sakib: He is a third hidden gem who can surprise your opponents with his bowling skills. He is a fast bowler who can generate pace and bounce and trouble the batsmen. He is also a lower-order batsman who can score some quick runs.

These are some of the best players and fantasy picks from Bangladesh for the World Cup 2023. You can choose them according to your budget, strategy, and preference. You can also mix and match them with players from other teams to create a balanced and winning fantasy team. You can also follow the latest news, updates, and statistics of the Bangladesh cricket team and their players to make informed decisions and optimize your fantasy team. You can also check out the official website of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 for more information and details.

We hope you enjoyed this blog post about the Bangladesh cricket team that will participate in the World Cup 2023. We wish them all the best and hope they will make their country proud. We also hope you will have fun and success in your fantasy cricket leagues. Thank you for reading and stay tuned for more blog posts about the World Cup 2023.