Bangladesh not playing their brand of cricket, says Mukund

Bangladesh batting has been fragile, especially after the powerplay in the ongoing Asia Cup 2025. Photo- Collected

Dhaka, September 16 — Former Indian cricketer and analyst Abhinav Mukund has voiced his concern over Bangladesh's performance in the Asia Cup, suggesting the team has abandoned its aggressive, high-scoring style of play that defined their game in recent years.

Highlighting the struggles of openers Tanzid Hasan Tamim and Parvez Hossain Emon, Mukund said Bangladesh are not showing the fearless style that once made them dangerous.

“They [Bangladesh] hit a lot of sixes and played a different brand of cricket over the last couple of years. But that hasn’t been seen enough in this Asia Cup,” he said in a recent discussion with ESPNcricinfo.

Mukund emphasized that a return to an attacking mindset is crucial, especially as Bangladesh faces a challenging Afghan bowling lineup.

“I’d love to see them be brave, especially against Afghanistan, build a strong total, and put pressure on Afghanistan," he stated.

The analyst noted that while both Tanzid and Emon have shown promise, they are struggling to adapt to international conditions.

“They play a particular brand of cricket, but in international cricket, you need to adapt everywhere. I’ve seen them trying to be aggressive, but it just hasn’t come off,” Mukund said.

Looking ahead, Mukund warned that Afghanistan's bowlers, particularly Fazalhaq Farooqi and Ghazanfar, will pose a significant challenge to the Bangladeshi batsmen.

Bangladesh is playing its last group match against Afghanistan, where they have to win to go through to the next stage. Litton Das won the toss and decided to bat first. It remains to be seen whether Bangladesh could play their brand of cricket.

Their Asia Cup run is hanging by a thread after a bruising loss to Sri Lanka on Saturday night.

Bangladesh performed poorly in this tournament, especially after the powerplay. Quick wickets have left the middle order exposed. Mushtaq admitted those collapses weigh on the team. - UNB