What are the chances for Bangladesh in the 2011 Cricket World Cup? This is the million dollar question these days in Bangladeshi cities.
The Bengalis will play all their group matches in their country. They are hosting the World Cup for the first time. Their performance in recent series has been most impressive since they gained Test status. Sri Lanka stood in exactly the same position in 1996. And it clinched the trophy.
Bangladeshi players are young–their average age is under 24, the lowest among the competing teams–but they have enough experience to reach the quarterfinal stage.
Bangladesh is in Group B, which also has India, South Africa, West Indies and England from among the test-playing nations. Since four teams will advance into the quarterfinal stage from each group, they only have to beat one of these four (we assume there will be no upset in their games against Ireland and the Netherlands).
The way England played against Canada in the warm up match makes us believe that Bengalis can overcome the English. West Indies is also not a very strong opponent. So they have every chance to move into the knockout stage.
With a combined experience of 929 games, Bangladesh is not far behind West Indies, England and South Africa, which have 1041, 1016 and 953 matches experience.
They have got fine all-rounders, which makes a team win one-day matches. Shakib, their captain, is among the best all-rounders in the world. His records are better than Pakistan’s Abdul Razzaq.
They have got brilliant spinners: Shakib himself and Abdur Razzak. These two can represent any test team in the world.
Their batting line has got much experience and strength with Tamim Iqbal, Junaid Siddiqui, Shahriar Nafees and Mohammad Ashraful.
Their only weakness is their pace bowling, but it is expected that the pitches will be made to suit their spinners and they will not need to use their fast bowlers for more than 20 overs.
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