DHAKA: Bangladesh, who have not visited Australia or New Zealand in four years, are set to play Australia, Sri Lanka, England and New Zealand in the group stages of upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup.
Both host countries, as well as Sri Lanka, are strong contenders for the title, while England are expected to enter the knockouts. It could leave Bangladesh with the task of simply beating Afghanistan and Scotland to salvage some pride.
Bangladesh can hope. They have a strong backbone of ODI specialists alongside a pace attack that could do well if the conditions suit them.
Overall, confidence has trickled through after the wins against Zimbabwe but to make themselves count in the World Cup, they would have to beat one of the higher-ranked sides in their group and have a chance for a quarter-final spot.
Fact box
World Cup performances
1999 - Group stage
2003 - Group stage
2007 - Super Eights
2011 - Group stage
Squad
Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), Tamim Iqbal, Anamul Haque, Soumya Sarkar, Mominul Haque, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Nasir Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Al-Amin Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Arafat Sunny, Taijul Islam
Fixtures
Wednesday, February 18: Bangladesh v Afghanistan, Canberra
Saturday, February 21: Bangladesh v Australia, Brisbane
Thursday, February 26: Bangladesh v Sri Lanka, Melbourne
Thursday, March 5: Bangladesh v Scotland, Nelson
Monday, March 9: Bangladesh v England, Adelaide
Friday, March 13: Bangladesh v New Zealand, Hamilton
World Cup pedigree
The 2007 World Cup saw Bangladesh record a famous win over India in the group stage. Their tournament got better when they crushed South Africa in the Super Eights, rounding off their best campaign. In 2011, when they were one of the co-hosts, they beat England but were hammered by West Indies and South Africa. The lead-up to this tournament is reminiscent of their 2003 campaign where they lost all group matches including to Kenya and Canada.
X-Factor
In the past, Bangladesh have done well when they have been pushed to a corner. After a tough year, they have been hardened by the flak from fans and media, to find form. If they are smart and hungry, they could hit their stride at the right time.
Players in focus
Shakib Al Hasan
Shakib has been Bangladesh's best cricketer of this generation, and he will need to lift his game if they are to win a few games. He hasn't been quite consistent over the past couple of years but he is the one man in the line-up who can be expected to regularly put up a challenge with both bat and ball.
Tamim Iqbal
An attacking opener, Tamim has had to deal with instant stardom, after his sensational entry in 2007, a changing technique, and the pressure to make a Test hundred (the landmark that has eluded him since 2010). But he has often bounced back from poor form, and will be hungry to shine on the big stage.
Mushfiqur Rahim
Bangladesh's best batsman in 2014, Mushfiqur has scored heavily and has often looked like the only batsman capable of getting the team out of jams. In the World Cup, he will be without the pressure of captaincy after Mashrafe Mortaza replaced him in ODIs in November.
Game style
Bangladesh's batsmen have historically operated in two gears. When they don't click, they look to survive. At other times, they try and blast everything out of the park. The bowling unit is by and large defensive, banking on a spin attack with deep-set fields and a belief that saving runs is what would get them wickets.
Prediction
Beating Afghanistan and Scotland is possibly top on their list of priorities, but it is hard to forget that this team has gone toe-to-toe against stronger opposition. It would be safe to bet on a creditable first-round bow out.
World Cup stats
No Bangladesh batsman has scored a century in the four World Cups that they have been a part of.
Shakib Al Hasan is Bangladesh's highest scorer and has the most fifties.
If they were an actor
Cuba Gooding Jr: a two-hit wonder?
Theme song
"Eye of the Tiger" – Survivor
Sources: ESPNcricinfo
BDST: 1334 HRS, FEB 01, 2015
