ICC World Cup 2019 | Bangladesh must be considered as 'favourites' for the next World Cup, claims Mashrafe Mortaza

Bangladesh may have failed to match their own expectations but the impact made by their star player Shakib Al Hasan in the tournament will definitely go down in cricketing folklore. The world’s top ranked all-rounder broke multiple World Cup records, such as soring the most runs by a batsman in a World Cup group stage, being the only player to have 600-plus runs as well as 10 wickets in a World Cup and having the most 50-plus scores in a single edition of the tournament, enroute to his 11 wickets and 606 runs. No wonder his teammates are disappointed they could not support him well enough to bring glory to the team as they were knocked out of the group stages.  

"I have no regrets [for me]. At this moment, I am feeling sad for Shakib really. The way he played, I think our team deserves to go a little bit further, if I say more clearly in the semifinal. When a player of a team performs like this, normally that team should play in the semifinal. Unfortunately, that didn't happen somehow. Maybe we didn't click at some crucial points in this tournament," skipper Mashrafe Mortaza was reported saying by Cricbuzz.

The Tigers may have been good enough with the bat but it was the bowlers and the fielding that let them down. They conceded scores of 300-plus in six of their eight matches and only managed to defend a target against minnows Afghanistan. Moreover, they dropped the most catches in the mega event after Pakistan, including those of some of the game’s best such as Rohit Sharma, Babar Azam and Jason Roy. 

"We missed some catches when we needed to take them, we bowled badly when we needed to bowl well, we didn't step up in these areas. Obviously, little things make a huge difference, that's for sure. In the bowling, we couldn't pick up early wickets in the first 10-15 or 20 overs in most of the matches including me and others. I personally think I should think about this matter personally as I operate in this role. It's my responsibility," Mortaza said addressing the issue. 

The team is soon developing into new age world-beaters and if they manage to maintain the mix of youth and experience like they have of late, big things may be in store for them. Their skipper reflected those thoughts and his confidence in the team by making a bold claim that they could go into the next World Cup as one of the title-rivals.

"About the next World Cup, I wish Tamim, Shakib, Mushfiq, Riyadh stay fit and healthy. I hope nothing happens to them. I hope they don't get injured and they stay with the team. The upcoming players and players in the team, I hope they go into the tournament in form. And because the next World Cup is in India, of course, I won't say anything about winning the World Cup. There is a matter of luck there. But in India, I think Bangladesh must be taken as favorites," Mortaza concluded.