Preparation wasn’t ideal: Bangladesh senior assistant coach

Preparation was not ideal for Bangladesh: Senior assistant coach

Bangladesh's preparation for the Champions Trophy was not ideal, according to Mohammad Salahuddin, the senior assistant coach. Instead of bilateral ODI series, Bangladesh was involved in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). Following the BPL, the team had only a week-long preparation camp at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

Bangladesh has lost both of their group stage matches against India and New Zealand and is now out of the tournament. Salahuddin believes that the lack of adequate preparation played a significant role in Bangladesh's poor performance.

"Maybe our preparation wasn't ideal, and I believe that was a major factor. However, I don't want to make excuses. At the international level, you must adapt quickly. Whether it's Test, T20s, or ODIs, you need to transition smoothly. That's where we fell short. Mental adaptability between formats is crucial, and if we can master that, we will perform better at this level," Salahuddin told reporters.

Salahuddin lamented that Bangladesh did not have a tri-nation series before the Champions Trophy, unlike other leading teams. He also pointed out that Bangladesh flew in just two days after the BPL without adequate preparation.

"Preparation is the key and it's not just the players' responsibility but also ours as the management. The cricket board must also take this into serious consideration," he added.

Bangladesh will face Pakistan in a dead rubber match on Thursday, and Salahuddin stressed the importance of finishing on a positive note. He expressed optimism that Bangladesh could give the hosts a run for their money.

"We may not have much to gain in this tournament anymore, but since we are here to compete, it's crucial for our players to show improvement and avoid repeating past mistakes. There are still areas to work on, and we need to rectify them quickly. You never know when a moment of inspiration can change things. That's why every match is important and there's a lot of cricket ahead for these boys and a strong performance here could be a turning point for some of them," Salahuddin concluded.

Bangladesh could not train ahead of their Champions Trophy fixture against Pakistan due to rain, which could play a part in their last game as well.