(Cricket news) “Certainly it is disappointing and we didn’t expect it but we must give credit to the US team for the way they have played, said Shakib, after a full strength Bangladesh side, preparing for a big T20 World Cup started off in the worst possible manner. Playing against the USA, Bangladesh suffered an embarrassing series defeat, as the hosts USA got better of them twice in a row, taking an unassailable lead of 2-0 in a 3-match T20I series.

The veteran all-rounder, Shakib said that the side’s T20I series loss against the United States of America is a huge wake-up call for them ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup. USA beating Bangladesh registered their historical first ever series win against a full-member nation.

“I think no one expected that we will lose two games. Any match you lose as a team is disappointing and you don’t want to lose a game and obviously it is very disappointing. But having said that we have to play the World Cup and this series might be a wake-up call for us as we haven’t played the way we want to play’, said Shakib.

“It’s a team game and everyone has to take the responsibility – you win as a team and you lose as a team. I don’t want to blame any particular person or any particular department. It’s just that T20 is such a format you have to play very good cricket in all three departments to win against any team. There are no small or big teams in T20 cricket and that’s why it is more exciting than any other format. And the proof of that is in the last two games the way US played,” added Shakib.

Despite of an unexpected and embarrassing loss, Shakib insisted that the Bangladesh side did not take the hosts lightly. “I don’t think we took them lightly. In the first game maybe we couldn’t do what we wanted to do and in the second game exactly the same thing happened – we couldn’t execute the plans that we were supposed to do on the ground.”

“In T20 every team is very much equal. I have seen the game between West Indies A and Nepal and they really played well and you are seeing games between Ireland and Netherlands and they are playing very close matches. Pakistan lost to Ireland and in T20 it is anybody’s game. It is on the day who performs better, and so you cannot take anything lightly in T20 cricket because one or two overs can change the momentum of the game and completely change the scenario of the game. That’s why you are always up for the challenges and you cannot take anything lightly or anything for granted,” Shakib said.

Bangladesh has been underperforming in big events for quite sometime now. They have had a disappointing 50-over World Cup last year in India. Post the 2015 World Cup Quarter Finals, the side has failed to make it to the knockout stages on an ICC event. The upcoming world cup would be an important event for the side, given the state at which they currently are.

Bangladesh are placed alongside Sri Lanka, South Africa, Nepal and Netherlands in Group D of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. They will begin their campaign on June 7 against the arch rivals Sri Lanka.

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