Bangladesh Under Shakib Al Hasan Aims for an ICC Champions Trophy Spot Following ODI World Cup 2023 Low

Bangladesh hopes to qualify for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, which will be hosted by Pakistan, after blowing up their chances of making it to the ODI World Cup 2023 semifinals. The Champions Trophy is awarded to the top seven teams remaining in the tournament. Pakistan automatically qualified for the eight-team competition as the hosts.

Bangladesh arrived in India for the 2023 ODI World Cup full of optimism. However, after losing five straight games, it has been a complete contrast to their 2019 performance. In Dharamshala, they only triumphed over Afghanistan.

Technically speaking, the team captained by Shakib Al Hasan is still in the semifinals. They must win their last three games and pray for favorable outcomes in other matches, which is unlikely to occur. Shakib insisted that the squad is still driven to place in the top seven and earn a trip to the tournament in Pakistan two years after they faced off against them.

“I believe the team as a whole discussed what has to be done, more so than myself. A lot is at stake in this game. Before the match against Pakistan, Shakib addressed the media, saying, “As you know, we have to win in order to be able to qualify for the Champions Trophy.”

“I believe we can accomplish that essential goal right now, but we need to win in order to do so. We would seek to do that because we don’t have any other choices,” the Bangladesh skipper, who took over for Tamim Iqbal, said.

Bangladesh is now ahead of the reigning champions, England, at eighth in the points standings.