Image Credit- AP
This is a subcontinental derby as much as it is a
misery derby. Bangladesh and Pakistan, on the other hand, are the two teams at
the bottom of the form table for England’s futile title defence; they have lost
their last nine games together. The lack of success on the pitch has been
eclipsed by off-field controversy in a series of events that have grown
tediously predictable. After their match against South Africa, Shakib Al Hasan
oddly took a plane back to Bangladesh to practise his batting technique. Meanwhile,
in Pakistan, allegations of unpaid salaries, player power, and PCB inefficiency
and wrongdoing have already reduced World Cup performances to a sideshow.
Bangladesh’s only remaining option is to try to
arrange a flight to Pakistan in 2025, while Pakistan is attempting to postpone
returning home for at least one more match. Bangladesh have something to fight
for after their 87-run loss to the Netherlands officially eliminated them from
the running for the 2025 Champions Trophy. This was revealed by the ICC in an
unexpectedly late announcement that the top eight finishers at this World Cup
would secure qualification to the 2025 Champions Trophy. In contrast, Pakistan
has a slim chance to advance under conditions similar to those in the past if
they win their remaining games and New Zealand loses theirs, given their tight
loss to Australia.
But neither of these teams has demonstrated that they
deserve to be discussing the semifinals. After a solid Asia Cup performance,
where they placed third, Bangladesh kicked off their campaign with a convincing
victory over Sri Lanka in a warm-up match. Following a mediocre first game
against England, Afghanistan humiliated them, which, considering their
subsequent performance, appears to be a far more spectacular display than it
was given credit for at the time. However, they have since collapsed horribly,
losing all five of their games and never coming near to winning; the pathetic
loss to the Dutch was the lowest point.
Pakistan continues to ingest that poisonous mixture of
hope and the prospect of accusations. Initially, two victories covered up
certain gaps, which were later torn away by Afghanistan, South Africa,
Australia, and India to reveal the bare foundation they were constructing on.
This team is nothing like the one that was ranked first in this format six
weeks ago due to injuries and a puzzling collective loss of form.
Pakistan’s main goal will be to avoid entering the
fire when they return home, as Babar Azam is facing criticism for his
leadership and disarray at the domestic cricket board. They also have the
chance to play a match against Bangladesh that will give them the confidence to
keep dreaming. It appears to be all they have right now.