Bangladesh received the honour to co-host the ICC World Cup 2011, for the first time, along with India and Sri Lanka as a full-time member of the highest cricket body and missed the chance to play quarterfinals by a subtle calculation of Net Run Rate (NRR).
Under the lead of all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan and coached by Jamie Siddons, the Tigers were put in the Group B along with South Africa, India, England, West Indies, Ireland and Netherlands.
The skipper Shakib was the top wicket takers for the Tigers in the tournament, picking up eight wickets in six matches. Newby opener Imrul Kayes and veteran Tamim Iqbal scored a few referable knocks for Bangladesh side.
On the first match against India at Dhaka's Sher-e Bangla National stadium on February 19, 2011, the visiting co-host scored a colossal total of 370 runs as Virender Sehwag and Virat Kohli scored 175 and 100 runs respectively. The Tigers, in retaliation, put up a good fight, scoring 283 runs losing nine wickets. Tamim and Shakib scored 70 and 55 runs accordingly. Along with the duo, other top-order batsmen put a good support. Eventually India won by 87 runs, but definitely had sweated out for the victory.
Against Ireland, the Tigers snatched a victory on February 25, 2011 at Mirpur in Dhaka, avenging the defeat of Barbados in April 15, 2007. As Tamim, Mushfiqur Rahim and Raqibul Hasan added two-digit runs to the scoreboard, the Tigers scored 205 runs in 49.2 overs. Ireland also put up a resistance, scored 178 runs off 45 overs. Bangladesh won their first match in the 2011 World Cup. Pacer Shafiul Islam picked up four wickets while Shakib and Mohammad Ashraful picked two wickets each. Tamim was awarded the Man of the Match award for his 44 runs off 52 balls.
On March 4, 2011, Bangladesh faced West Indies at the same venue. It was not the day for the Tigers! The Caribbeans literally devastated Bangladeshi innings putting a full stop to it at 58 runs off only 18.5 overs. West Indian bowling attack by Kemar Roach, Sulieman Ben and Darren Sammy crushed the entire batting line-up of Bangladesh. The Caribbeans reached the target comfortably by 12.2 overs losing only an opener.
Bangladesh on March 11, 2007 grabbed the second victory of the tourney against England at Chittagong. The English side scored 225 runs off 49.4 overs while Bangladesh reached the target by 49 overs losing only eight wickets. Imrul Kayes scored a dashing 60 runs backed by Tamim's 38 runs became the Man of the Match.
A consecutive victory arrived against Netherlands at Chittagong on March 14, 2011. The Dutch side was packed at 160 runs. Bangladesh lost only four wickets to reach the target by 41.2 overs. Imrul again knocked a marvelous 73-run innings to sail the Tigers to victory land.
The Tigers played their last group match against South Africa at Dhaka on March 19, 2011. South Africa won the toss and opted to bat first. The Proteas side scored 284 runs losing eight wickets. In reply, Bangladesh went all out at 78 runs at the end of 28th over. Shakib was the only batsman who scored a two-figure run, 30. Robin Peterson and Lonwabo Tsotsobe picked four and five wickets respectively. It was the second time of the tournament where the Tigers scored less than 100 runs.
Bangladesh missed the chance going on to in the second round by the calculation of NRR. Both West Indies and Bangladesh played six games each, won three and lost three each. The Caribbeans however passed through to the quarterfinals as their NRR was +1.066 and Bangladesh had -1.361.
The woeful Tigers missed the chance to be in the top eight, true. But the victories against Ireland, England and Netherlands dimmed out due to the washouts against West Indies and South Africa. Once again like the 2007 World Cup, millions of Tigers' fans experienced a blended emotion of happiness and sorrow at home grounds, expecting a "better" performance in the upcoming 2015 World Cup in Australia.