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[Saba Sports News] Bangladesh’s ODI World Cup 2023 campaign took a turn for the worse with a comprehensive 87-run defeat against the Netherlands at Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Saturday, October 28. Following this disappointing result, a video of a Bangladeshi fan passionately expressing his frustration by slapping himself with a shoe went viral on the internet.
In the match, Scott Edwards won the toss and chose to bat first. Bangladesh faced early setbacks as they lost their openers within the first three overs. Although Wesley Barresi and Colin Ackerman stabilized the innings with a 59-run partnership, the Dutch team lost wickets in clusters, reaching 107/5 by the end of 27 overs. Captain Edwards and Sybrand Engelbrecht later joined forces, contributing to a crucial 78-run partnership that revived their team’s prospects.
After their dismissals, Logan van Beek added some late impetus to the Netherlands’ innings, setting Bangladesh a target of 230 runs on a reasonable pitch.
The European team displayed commendable bowling and fielding, making Bangladesh struggle for every run. Bangladesh lost six wickets for just 70 runs before some late resistance took them past the three-figure mark. Ultimately, Edwards and his team won by 87 runs, with Paul van Meekeren earning the Player of the Match award for his impressive spell of 4/23 in 7.2 overs.
This defeat marked Bangladesh’s fifth consecutive loss in the tournament, leaving them in the ninth position on the points table, just above England. Despite the setbacks, Bangladesh’s passionate fans continue to support their team.
Captain Shakib Al Hasan faces the challenge of motivating his squad and giving their devoted supporters something to celebrate in the upcoming matches.