Dhaka: Bangladesh will look to bounce back from an embarrassing setback last week when they begin their Super-10 campaign in the World Twenty20 against the West Indies in Dhaka on Tuesday.
The hosts crashed to a two-wicket defeat against unheralded minnows Hong Kong in a first round match in Chittagong on Thursday, narrowly escaping an early exit from the tournament.
Bangladesh were dismissed for 108 in 16.3 overs after being sent in to bat, with five batsmen falling for zeroes in an inexplicable collapse.
Hong Kong, playing for the first time on the world stage, chased down the modest target with two balls to spare, recording their biggest win ever.
If Hong Kong had knocked off the runs in 13.1 overs, another first-timer Nepal would have sneaked through to the Super-10s instead of the hosts. Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim accepted it would be tough to come back after the loss, but said the unpredictable Twenty20 format gave him hope.
“It’s not going to be easy to get over what happened in the last game, but cricket is full of surprises,” Rahim told a media conference on Monday.
“Any team can win in the shortened game, and so can we. But we will need to play to our full potential. What happened earlier will not count.”
Rahim said the West Indies, the defending champions, also will be under pressure after their seven-wicket defeat to India on Sunday. “We must take advantage of that,” he said. “It is a must-win game for them and they will feel the pressure.”
Bangladesh are drawn with the West Indies, Australia, India and Pakistan in group two, from where two teams will advance to the semi-finals.
