Akram Khan questions mindset of Bangladesh batters after series loss to Sri Lanka
Akram Khan talks to press today, Cricfrenzy
Bangladesh’s inability to bat through 50 overs in all three ODIs against Sri Lanka has raised serious concerns, especially from former national captain and current BCB director Akram Khan.
Speaking to the media in Mirpur following the 2-1 series defeat, Akram expressed his disappointment with the Tigers’ batting approach and mental readiness.
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The highest individual score for Bangladesh in the series came from Parvez Hossain Emon, who struck 67 in the second ODI — a match that ultimately remained their only win of the series. Throughout the three matches, the batting unit failed to build substantial partnerships or produce any big innings.
Akram criticized the batters for failing to play their natural game. “It doesn’t seem like our batters are playing their usual cricket — the way they do in the Dhaka League or local games. Perhaps they’re being overly cautious or overthinking. Mentally, they don’t appear to be fit. It seems like they’re taking too much pressure,” he said.
He further added, “Watching from a distance, it looks like the players are under unnecessary stress. And when you’re under that much pressure, you can’t play natural cricket. Their style, mistakes, and attitude don’t reflect normal cricket.”
Beyond the technical aspects, Akram also highlighted behavioral issues, referencing Towhid Hridoy’s frustration after being run out in the second ODI, where he angrily threw his bat.
“There are some attitude problems too, which can affect the team’s environment. No one here is a superstar — everyone is important. Such behavior only leads the team in a negative direction. To play proper cricket, improvement is needed across the board.”
Bangladesh were bowled out in all three matches, often relying on lower-order contributions to stretch the innings. In the second ODI, it was No. 8 batter Tanzim Hasan Sakib’s quickfire 33 off 21 balls that helped Bangladesh post a match-winning 248.
Reflecting on the broader pattern of batting failures, Akram warned that this isn’t a one-off issue.
“These are very basic mistakes that batters simply shouldn’t be making. You won’t see teams that perform consistently making these errors. Losing a match is one thing, but if these problems persist — as they have over the past two years — then we have a serious issue. Unless we address them, performances will suffer, and the pressure and negativity will only grow.”
