Relief in the rankings, what do Bangladesh seek now?
There was a clear sense of relief in Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s words yesterday, Thursday. And understandably so—under his leadership, Bangladesh have won three consecutive series at home. That would be reassuring for any captain, and even more so for Miraz.
Why so? To understand that, one has to go back a few months. Before the home series against the West Indies, Bangladesh had slipped to the brink, dropping to 10th in the rankings.
According to ICC rules, the top eight teams in the rankings by next March will qualify directly for the 2027 ODI World Cup. That had been a concern for Bangladesh.
There is another equation here. One of the World Cup co-hosts, South Africa, are almost certain to remain in the top eight. In that case, even finishing ninth could be enough for direct qualification.
Direct qualification for the World Cup is important, but playing good cricket is equally important. If we fail to do that, we won’t be able to qualify either.Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Bangladesh national cricket team captain
The rest will have to go through the qualifiers—something Bangladesh would clearly prefer to avoid. Winning three consecutive series has brought them some relief in that regard.
Bangladesh are currently ninth in the rankings with 83 rating points. Their points will increase after the series win against second-ranked New Zealand, although the chances of moving up from ninth to eighth remain slim.
However, Bangladesh have established a comfortable gap over 10th-placed West Indies (77 rating points). That gap could narrow if Bangladesh perform poorly in upcoming series while West Indies do well—but otherwise, it is unlikely.
Speaking during this relatively comfortable phase, ODI captain Miraz said, “Direct qualification for the World Cup is important, but playing good cricket is equally important. If we fail to do that, we won’t be able to qualify either.”
He also expressed confidence about staying in the top nine, “If we can perform consistently, I believe we can move even higher than the top nine.”
Bangladesh have also begun shaping their squad with the World Cup in mind. In the last match, for instance, Rishad Hossain was left out, with Tanvir Hossain brought in—part of the broader planning for the tournament.
Miraz said, “We want to build a strong team. With tournaments like the World Cup and the Asia Cup ahead, giving each player opportunities will help them gain confidence.”