There is no single positive note about Bangladesh for tomorrow's alleged "cup final" for both Bangladesh and Kenya. Not even indirectly.

It has become like a game between 'Bangladesh' versus 'Rest of the World'. We, as Bangladeshi fans, are certainly disappointed in what Bangladeshi players have done so far. But our players have not done as bad as each and every foreign media has suggested.

Before the world cup tournament started, Khaled Mashud, the Bangladesh captain had to be embarassed by the fact that the tournament organizers had to cancel a scheduled official press conference as there was no reporter except by only one who came to that press conference. One Bangladeshi cricket fan said hearing that the players should either win their match or die on the field.

Well neither has happened. Bangladesh could not win their first match against Canada and no Bangladeshi player also died on the field. If you want, you can take the literal meaning and might say that only one Bangladeshi had died - off the field - that is, Mashrafee Bin Murtoza - who was actually injured after playing only two world cup games.

Will that happen tomorrow? Will Bangladeshi players either win or die on the field? The only thing favoring them is the mere fact that when Bangladesh has performed very poorly in the start of a tournament, then they have performed really creditably in the last match of that particular tournament. Or it has happened like vice versa.

Considering this little fact, we will now have analyze from our memory the actual thing that if our players had really played badly in the match against Canada. Ofcourse giving away 4 singles - NOT EVEN A BOUNDARY; states the fact that Bangladeshi fielding was pathetic. And yet, all the youngsters have come in place of the oldies because of the well known fact that Bangladesh is a very poor fielding unit. Restricting the Canadian batsman to 180 runs may sound like a good effort by the bowlers, but if you look at some of the bowling figures of Bangladeshi bowlers, you will see that Alok Kapali, who is an occassional part time leg spinner having an economy
rate of just over 6 runs an over generally, gave away so few runs that one would certainly wonder if restricting the opposition to 180 is a job well done. And the batting was as worst as the fielding. Only one batsman, it could also have been our most experienced batsman Khaled Mashud; notice here that Akram Khan is not our most experienced batsman - it is Khaled Mashud - our captain who is the most experienced batsman in One Day Internationals; had to keep his wicket intact. But nobody could withstand the pressure.

And this time - there will be a lot more pressure in the match against Kenya where our players have no choice but to win. Because if they do not, then they will get some real GONOPITUNI at the ZIA International Airport. Which might also lead them to play minor county matches in England - instead of in the luxurious domestic club cricket tournament on even more luxurious batsman friendly wickets.

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