'If we don’t score in ODIs, we can’t survive'

For once, Mehidy Hasan Miraz dropped the cliches. There was no talk of "learning experiences" or "positives to take." Instead, the Bangladesh ODI captain sounded unexpectedly precise and blunt as he laid bare the team's batting frailties after yet another collapse saw them slump to an 81-run defeat in the second ODI -- and a 2-0 series loss -- against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

"I think we bowled really well and we could have chased that total easily, but we batted very poorly today," Miraz admitted after the game. "We start partnerships but don't take responsibility. Our batters have to step up. We're very disappointed but we still have one more match left, and after that, another series. We need to improve our batting. If we don't score in ODIs, we can't survive."

Bangladesh's capitulation was as predictable as it was painful. On a slow pitch that offered some grip, the bowlers had done their part -- restricting Afghanistan to just 190 in 44.5 overs. But any hope of a modest chase was quickly extinguished as the Tigers were bundled out for 109 in 28.3 overs.

It was a familiar script: poor shot selection, lack of application, and a sense of inevitability about the collapse.

Saif Hassan provided a brief spark with a 23-ball 22 but threw it away immediately after hitting Azmatullah Omarzai for consecutive boundaries, attempting a reckless uppercut that found the fielder at deep third. Omarzai, who struck twice with the new ball, went on to remove Miraz lbw for 4 to leave Bangladesh tottering at 50-4 inside 11 overs.

Towhid Hridoy offered a fleeting glimmer of resistance, scoring 24 before a wild slog sweep against Rashid Khan shattered his stumps. From there, the slide was terminal. Nurul Hasan missed a googly while attempting the same shot, and Rashid cleaned up Tanzim Hasan Sakib the very next ball. Bangladesh lost three wickets without adding a run, and the leg-spinner finished with a devastating 5-17 in 8.3 overs.

Rashid's brilliance aside, the collapse reflected deeper structural issues in Bangladesh's batting. The team has now failed to post 250 in four ODIs under Miraz's captaincy. When chasing, they have fallen short of 200 in three of those games, including Saturday's, where the target was below 200.

It marks a steep decline for a side once known for its ODI resilience. Since the start of 2024, Bangladesh have played 16 ODIs and won only four, with their only series triumph coming against Sri Lanka at home in March.

Miraz's frustration, therefore, is not misplaced. His comments carry a sense of urgency and an implicit warning. Bangladesh currently sit 10th in the ICC ODI rankings, and only the top eight teams (excluding hosts) will earn automatic qualification for the 2027 ICC World Cup.

The Afghanistan series was meant to be an opportunity to gather crucial ranking points against a relatively even opponent. Instead, it has exposed the team's most glaring weakness -- a batting unit stuck in limbo, neither evolving with modern ODI tempo nor showing the grit of the past.