"Pressure gets to them": Jaffer criticizes Bangladesh's batting woes in Champions Trophy exit

New Delhi [India], February 25 (ANI): Bangladesh's struggles in global tournaments continued as they crashed out of the ICC Champions Trophy following another underwhelming batting display. Their inability to put up competitive totals--228 all out in the first match and 236 for 9 in the second--exposed their long-standing issues, particularly with their experienced players failing to step up on the big stage.
Former India batter Wasim Jaffer was especially critical of Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim's shot selection in their five-wicket defeat to New Zealand. Both veterans fell playing rash strokes, leaving Bangladesh five wickets down by the 27th over. New Zealand, in response, chased the target with ease.
"We've only seen probably Shakib [Al Hasan] with that 2019 [ODI] World Cup where he was a standout player," Jaffer said on ESPNcricinfo's Match Day, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
"But I don't know if it's the pressure that gets to them or they put too much pressure on themselves, they just don't turn up," he added.
Mahmudullah, known for his past heroics in ICC events--including back-to-back centuries in the 2015 World Cup and a crucial ton in the 2017 Champions Trophy--failed to make an impact this time. He missed the first match due to injury and then squandered his opportunity in the second.
"Even the shot selection we've seen today was very disappointing," Jaffer was cited by the ESPNcricinfo.
"Mushfiq [Mushfiqur] playing that shot, Mahmudullah playing that wild shot. And this is a must-win game. You want them to step up in these kinds of games and make themselves count. So that's been the story in the ICC events, unfortunately," he noted.
Jaffer pointed out that Bangladesh fell 50 to 60 runs short on a Rawalpindi pitch that offered little assistance to bowlers.
"They could have easily put 300-plus on that pitch," he noted..
"They have got themselves to blame. It is too much to ask from the bowling unit to get a team New Zealand all out for below 240," he said.
Meanwhile, former New Zealand seamer Shane Bond highlighted Bangladesh's bowling potential but acknowledged their batting struggles.
Fielding errors further compounded Bangladesh's woes. Key chances were missed, including two dropped catches by Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Mahmudullah, allowing Rachin Ravindra to capitalize and guide New Zealand to victory.
"I like the look of their bowling attack," Bond said, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.
"They have got the heat, they have got the left-armer [Mustafizur Rahman] which New Zealand and a team like England doesn't have. The spinners are good," he added.
"Also the fine margins... they missed chances. If you miss those run-out chances or those dropped catches, they are the difference between winning or losing a game. If they had taken those chances, this game could have been completely different. There is a lot to work with with their bowling attack. I think their batting in the end was the problem," he noted.
Bond, an experienced coach in franchise cricket, remarked that any coach would be grumpy after such a performance, as Bangladesh's campaign in the 2025 Champions Trophy ended in disappointment.
"I think it's the natural inclination as a coach to feel that way," Bond said, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.
"If you start talking about what you shouldn't do and let emotion pour out as a coach, it's a dangerous place to go. So you're still trying to create an environment where you want guys to come out and play positively, you want them to be really clear about how you're going to play," he added.
"And at the end of the day, if they go out and try to execute their game plans and play the way that you want and they lose, then that's okay. If they don't, then it makes it very difficult. So that's what you're looking for as a player," Bond noted.
"You want, 'this is how the coach wants me to play my role in the team. If I go and do that to the best of my ability, then it's okay.' You know, some days it's not going to work and we're not a fly on the wall in the Bangladesh camp, so we don't know what those conversations are and it's difficult to make judgments on that stuff," he said. (ANI)