Shakib Al Hasan expressed his views on Bangladesh's underwhelming performance in the ongoing Asia Cup 2023, attributing their struggles to a lack of collective teamwork. The Tigers were officially eliminated from the tournament after India, led by Rohit Sharma, defeated Dasun Shanaka's side by 41 runs in the Super Four match held at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
The cricketer from Magura, Shakib, emphasized that individuals must assume responsibility for their contributions if Bangladesh is to excel.
"The burden of responsibility does not rest solely on my shoulders, as everyone bears some form of responsibility. I am confident that each person will strive to fulfil their role, and only when everyone can make a meaningful contribution can we have a strong chance of success. If we can combine all these individual performances effectively, only then can we truly perform well. It is evident that we haven't seen that level of contribution yet, and the players are aware of it. They are working towards rectifying this," Shakib stated during a press conference.
Presently, the Tigers find themselves at the bottom of the tournament table with a net run rate of -0.749. Bangladesh's final Super Four match is scheduled against India on Friday, September 15. Shakib mentioned that he doesn't anticipate much from his team except for a consolation victory.
"Yes, there are still aspects to gain from this situation. Winning the last match before returning home would be a positive outcome. We are not aiming for anything beyond a victory," he emphasized.
Following the conclusion of the Asia Cup, Bangladesh is set to face New Zealand in a series of three ODIs beginning on September 21. Shakib expressed uncertainty about whether the Asia Cup's performance would have an impact on their upcoming matches.
"I can't say for certain whether our performance in the Asia Cup will affect us or not. Of course, it is disappointing that our batting performance hasn't lived up to our expectations, but we might be able to make a comeback in the next series," Shakib added.
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