Losing is bad enough, but losing in the same way over and over is worse. It was not just a bad series that saw Bangladesh collapse against Afghanistan in the one-dayers at Dhaka – it was slow-motion deja vu. The continuous mishaps and inability to learn from their failures have become the most consistent feature of a side that has been playing together for years. The question no longer is about techniques or talent; the question now is about the mentality: how can you have so many experienced professionals being unable to learn?

 

Context – A Collapse with Familiar Echoes

 

Afghanistan didn’t just beat Bangladesh. They exhibited a trend, one that has been evident for some time. The locals couldn’t get to even 110 in two successive games, being bowled out both times in less than thirty overs. Mehidy Hasan, the new captain of the ODI side, revealed what fans have muttered for a long time. This team does not learn. Now that the West Indies series is approaching, the discussion is regarding survival, not tactics. Batting for 50 overs is a goal and not a given.

 

Tactical Blindness – When Basics Become Goals

 

It has now reached the bizarre stage where batting their full 50 overs can be mistaken for a victory for Bangladesh. This cannot be considered a target; it only denotes damage limitation. The top-order batsmen continue to treat every delivery as a potential highlight rather than an investment. Against the spinners of Afghanistan, there was no adaptation: similar strokes, similar collapses, similar shrugs afterward. What made this side a terror in the past is now its weakness: fearless adventitious batting. The batting unit seems in a dilemma between instinct and orders, uncertain whether to consolidate or break out.

 

Confidence on the Edge – The Cost of Repetition

 

Mehidy’s comment conveyed a candour rarely expressed by a captain under pressure. The admission that the team “is not learning” is as much a confession as it is a warning. This is no longer a matter of form — it is a matter of fatigue. The players all appear mentally exhausted, their confidence seeming to crack under the strain of expectation. We were used to the Bangladeshi dressing room being a place of togetherness. Now it looks like a place where no one wants to be the first to fail. When every defeat seems like the last, it is also hard to work up motivation.

 

Numbers That Don’t Lie – Decline Hidden in Plain Sight

 

Bangladesh’s ODI strike rate had descended from 88 in 2022 to 78 this year – an aspect of a side in complete decline. Even more worrying, in their last six ODIs, they have crossed the 250 mark just once. The old anchors are failing to anchor, and the younger brigade misfires. It is no longer a slump; it is a trend. But teams like Afghanistan have learnt quicker in half the time because they review, adapt, and evolve, while Bangladesh seems trapped in rewind.

 

There is no shortage of natural talent on the Bangladesh side; the lack is in learning. The next ODI series against West Indies will be a test, not only of their skills, but of their memories. If Mehidy’s frank talk brings about real and lasting change in his countrymen, a slow revival may be in order. If not, the team runs the danger of becoming that of all cricket-playing nations, which is most to be avoided: old in years but rookie in habits.

 

Key Takeaway:

 

Bangladesh’s biggest opponent right now isn’t Afghanistan or West Indies, it’s their refusal to learn from themselves.

 

Disclaimer: This blog post reflects the author’s personal insights and analysis. Readers are encouraged to consider the perspectives shared and draw their own conclusions.

 

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