Mehidy Hasan: "We Have to Target Playing 50 Overs" as Bangladesh's ODI Struggles Deepen
Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz has urged his team to focus on the basics — starting with simply batting out 50 overs — following a humiliating 3-0 ODI series defeat to Afghanistan in the UAE. The series loss featured two disastrous batting collapses, as Bangladesh were bowled out for 93 and 109 in the second and third ODIs respectively, following a 221-run total in the series opener.
"We have to target playing 50 overs," Mehidy said bluntly at the post-match press conference. "As we failed to do so in the last two matches. I think we have to accept that we have played poor cricket as a batting unit."
The defeats were marked by Bangladesh’s inability to handle Afghanistan’s bowlers — particularly leg-spinner Rashid Khan, who continued his dominance over the Tigers. In the final ODI, 21-year-old pacer Bilal Sami also tore through the middle order, claiming his maiden five-wicket haul and further compounding Bangladesh’s woes.
"A team suffers when the batters don't take responsibility," Mehidy added. "Every batter has to take responsibility. We will keep struggling otherwise. We can't win a game without runs on the board, regardless of conditions."
The white-ball tour began positively for Bangladesh with a 3-0 T20I series win, but the ODI leg brought a sharp reversal of fortunes, putting their hopes for automatic qualification to the 2027 World Cup in jeopardy. Although the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has maintained that there are still enough fixtures left to climb back into the top nine of the ODI rankings, the recent batting form offers little optimism.
Coach Phil Simmons had urged a more positive approach from the batters, particularly against spin, but the team folded repeatedly against Rashid across both formats on the tour.
Mental Reset Ahead of West Indies Series
Bangladesh return home on Wednesday, with just two days to prepare for another three-match ODI series — this time against the West Indies. Mehidy, who has been leading the side in the absence of senior players, said that the team needs a mental break more than anything.
"The team is definitely feeling down after losing this series," he said. "We are hopeful that if we can spend time with our family in those two days that we have at home, we can play with a fresh mind."
Despite the poor performances, Mehidy hinted that wholesale changes are unlikely for the upcoming series. "We definitely lack in certain areas but we have to move ahead with these players. We don’t have a lot of players outside [the team]. We are not as bad a team as these results show, but we just have to improve and rectify our mistakes."
Home conditions could provide a slight edge for Bangladesh, though there are concerns that Dhaka pitches may mirror those in Abu Dhabi — slow and turning — which have already exposed their batting vulnerabilities. Additionally, the reception from home fans could be hostile after the team's latest setbacks.
Bangladesh’s focus now turns to survival mode — trying to play a full 50-over innings — before they can think about more ambitious goals.
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