Bangladesh captain Mahmudullah commented on questions raised about Bangladesh’s “commitment” for the world cup after the loss to Scotland.
Bangladesh, who lost their first match to Scotland shockingly, had to remain 110% focused to beat Oman and PNG to reach the Super 12. Even the Bangladesh Cricket Board president criticized the players, specifically Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan and Mushqfir Rahim.
“We all felt bad by each and everything, from all sides,” Mahmudullah said. “We are human, we also have feelings. We have families. Our parents and children sit in front of the TV. They also get upset. Everyone has social media on their phone these days. We expect criticism when it is warranted but if that resorts to being belittled, we feel bad. There were many questions, including about the three senior players’ strike rate.
“Shakib is a champion player for Bangladesh. We are lucky to have a performer like him. But we are not worried about Mushfiq or Mustafiz. We are not losing faith in them, probably people from outside are”, Mahmudullah said.
He continued, “We tried hard, but we didn’t get the result. Everyone makes sacrifices. We play with injuries. Some of us take painkillers every day. Many don’t know about these things, so it is not right to talk about our commitment. I hope we can be more settled now. Within the team, there is positive energy, and for that I thank the whole team. I hope things will get better.”