Image Credit- AFP
While the top seven finishers, including hosts
Pakistan, will qualify for the 2025 Champions Trophy, the ICC’s confirmation
has given a much-needed purpose to what would have been a largely meaningless
game. This may not be the must-win scenario either side would have imagined
towards the end of this tournament.
Bangladesh has
lost six straight games after defeating Afghanistan in their debut encounter.
Bangladesh has also suffered defeats against England, who holds the lowest
record. This has been the most disappointing tournament for a team that had won
24 of 39 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) since the beginning of 2021, especially
given the circumstances that seemed to have fit them.
For their part, Sri Lanka has continued to do what
they have always done, at least in the recent past, which is to combine
optimism with pessimism, genius and despair. Whatever way you cut it, Sri Lanka
was, at least in terms of ODIs, an undercooked team, bent more towards playing
T20 cricket than it was regaining its ODI identity. It was also one that
appeared to be mired in confusion.
And that’s before we even get to the meat of the
off-field problems, which have resulted from their campaign in a public back
and forth between the nation’s sports minister and Sri Lanka Cricket, questions
about the impact of the coaching staff, and rumours of a potential shake-up of
the selection committee. Not exactly great when you’re attempting to play
aggressive, fearless cricket.
Mushfiqur Rahim began the competition at No. 6, but
after scoring just 171 runs at a pace of 28.50, he is now back at his preferred
No. 4 position. 4372 of his 7577 ODI runs have come at four, and his 42.03
average there is a notable improvement over his career average of 36.78 and the
37.35 he was scoring at six. Mushfiqur may have had a World Cup most people
would prefer to forget, but with him back in a familiar role against familiar
opponents, Bangladesh will be counting on him to help them finish the tournament
with a bang.