Bangladesh’s semifinal hopes are no longer in their own hands. A victory over Pakistan in their final Super 12 match of the ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2022 on Sunday won’t be enough. They will also have to pray for India or South Africa to lose their final match, which seems unlikely.
India will face Zimbabwe and South Africa will take on the Netherlands in their respective final Super 12 matches.
India and South Africa are favourites to win and qualify for the semifinal as the champions and runners-up of Group 2 respectively.
But Bangladesh pacer Taskin Ahmed is hoping that cricket will live up to its reputation of being a game of glorious uncertainties and the Tigers would miraculously book a place in the semifinal.
“Most of the matches in this group have been interesting. Still, anything can happen. Something miraculous can still happen,” Taskin told the reporters on Friday, after the team’s training session at the Rolton Oval in Adelaide.
Both Bangladesh and Pakistan have four points after four games in Super 12. But Pakistan is currently positioned third in the table above Bangladesh owing to a better run-rate. India and South Africa currently have six and five points respectively.
If India or South Africa slip up in their final game, an open opportunity will open up for Bangladesh. But before all that, Bangladesh have to defeat Pakistan, which will be far from easy.
Taskin said the team is in good spirits after the close match against India and the players are raring to go against Pakistan.
“We will go into the last match with the same spirit. We want to play well and win. If we can win, we’ll see what the equation is. But the main goal is to win the next match,’ said the right-arm pacer.
“As a team, they are stronger than us. Everyone knows that. But our main goal is to improve. I have said this before, we still haven’t become a good team, but we will Inshallah,” he added.
Taskin has been Bangladesh’s most successful bowler in this T20 World Cup with eight wickets in four matches. Taskin has struck in the first over in three of Bangladesh’s four matches.
Taskin and Hasan Mahmud have been sharing the new ball duty for Bangladesh. The senior pro heaped praises on his junior teammate, saying Hasan has the potential to become a world class pacer.
“I really like Hasan Mahmud as a bowler. He is a big prospect for Bangladesh. Hasan, Shoriful (Hasan), Fizz (Mustafizur Rahim) and me, all of us are hungry to improve and do everything to help each other. This is a very good thing. If he stays fit, Hasan will be a big thing in world cricket.”