Senior Bangladesh players 'just don't turn up' in ICC events

Bangladesh endured another dismal campaign in a global event which has placed a harsh spotlight on their batting unit. They were knocked out of the Champions Trophy after two sub-par totals - 228 all out and 236 for 9 - which, in former India batter Wasim Jaffer's view, continued the trend of their experienced players not turning up in ICC events.

Jaffer was particularly critical of Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim's performances in the five-wicket loss to New Zealand on Monday. Both men were dismissed playing rash shots which left Bangladesh five down in just the 27th over. New Zealand hardly broke a sweat in chasing the eventual target down. "We've only seen probably Shakib [Al Hasan] with that 2019 [ODI] World Cup where he was a standout player," Jaffer said on ESPNcricinfo's Match Day. "But I don't know if it's the pressure that gets to them or they put too much pressure on themselves, they just don't turn up."

Mahmudullah has history in performing well at ICC events, he made back-to-back hundreds in the 2015 ODI World Cup and a hundred when Bangladesh beat New Zealand in the 2017 Champions Trophy. But here, he missed their first match with injury and self-destructed in the second.

"Even the shot selection we've seen today was very disappointing," Jaffer said. "Mushfiq [Mushfiqur] playing that shot, Mahmudullah playing that wild shot. And this is a must-win game. You want them to step up in these kinds of games and make themselves count. So that's been the story in the ICC events, unfortunately." Jaffer also felt that Bangladesh were at least "50 to 60 runs short" on a Rawalpindi surface which wasn't offering much help for the bowlers.

"They could have easily put 300-plus on that pitch," he said. "They have got themselves to blame. It is too much to ask from the bowling unit to get a team New Zealand all out for below 240."

Shane Bond, the former New Zealand fast bowler, suggested that while "there is a lot to work with" Bangladesh's bowling attack, their batting seems to be a problem. He also said the chances Bangladesh missed in the field also played a role in their five-wicket loss. Rachin Ravindra survived a run-out chance when he was on 26 and was dropped on 93 by Mehidy Hasan Miraz and then by Mahmudullah on 106.

"I like the look of their bowling attack," Bond said. "They have got the heat, they have got the left-armer [Mustafizur Rahman] which New Zealand and a team like England doesn't have. The spinners are good.

"Also the fine margins… they missed chances. If you miss those run-out chances or those dropped catches, they are the difference between winning or losing a game. If they had taken those chances, this game could have been completely different. There is a lot to work with their bowling attack. "