Just days before the T20 World Cup, Bangladesh’s batsmen are raising concerns with their inconsistent form. Saif Hasan was seen the day before yesterday at Sylhet International Stadium, practising tirelessly on the outer field. Accompanied by a thrower, he spent nearly two hours batting, and later ran alone across the pitch for an extended period. Having missed selection in the previous match, the national team’s T20 vice-captain appears determined to address his deficiencies ahead of the upcoming tournament.
In the evening match against Sylhet Titans, Saif was included in the Dhaka Capitals XI, coming in at number five and scoring 22 runs from 14 balls. However, his earlier four matches tell a stark story:
| Match | Balls Faced | Runs Scored |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 1 |
| 2 | 17 | 9 |
| 3 | 4 | 1 |
| 4 | 24 | 15 |
Clearly, Saif’s extra effort in practice is an attempt to regain form. Yet he is far from alone in his struggles. No regular batsman in the national T20 XI has truly impressed with the bat so far in this year’s BPL.
While Bangladesh’s participation in the World Cup is not yet confirmed, even if they do make it, the batting performances of those likely to feature in the squad are a cause for concern. The national side has nearly two months without international fixtures, and during this period, apart from Parvez Hossain, no World Cup squad batsman ranks among the top ten run-scorers in the ongoing BPL.
Tanzid Hasan, Bangladesh’s most successful T20 batsman last year, known for his prolific six-hitting and run-scoring, was drafted directly by Rajshahi Warriors. Despite his prowess in the powerplay, his BPL output so far is modest: 6 matches yielding scores of 10, 20, 29, 2, 21, and 5. Saif’s record, as noted, is similarly underwhelming.
Coach Hannan Sarkar of Rajshahi Warriors remains optimistic, stating: “I believe there is still time for those out of form to regain their rhythm. In T20, one or two good innings can restore confidence quickly.”
Even captain Liton Das has struggled. Traditionally batting at number three for the national side, he has been opening for Rangpur Riders in the BPL. After a promising 47 from 31 balls in the opening victory against Chattogram Royals, Liton has managed only 129 runs in six matches.
Middle-order batsmen, including Tawhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain, and Nurul Hasan, have also failed to provide consistent contributions, with the exception of Shamim’s 81 off 43 balls in one game. Among positive notes, Parvez Hossain has impressed at number four for Sylhet Titans, scoring 236 runs in eight matches at a strike rate of nearly 140.
With the World Cup looming, Bangladesh’s primary concern remains the batting unit—unless the team’s participation is finally confirmed, this form crisis adds pressure at a critical time.