Before then, Bangladesh have only two ODI series left, including the ongoing one against Afghanistan.
Afghanistan, who began the series in 10th place with 77 rating points, will also play another ODI series against the West Indies.
For Bangladesh, a 3–0 sweep against Afghanistan could have earned them five valuable ranking points. However, that hope has already taken a hit following their defeat in the first ODI.
Bangladesh pacer Tanzim Hasan Sakib believes a team of Bangladesh’s caliber doesn’t belong in the qualifiers. He feels the team should have been positioned much higher in the rankings and insists their immediate focus is on winning the remaining matches to secure direct qualification for the World Cup.
Speaking to the media in the UAE, Sakib said, “I feel we deserve to be placed higher. Whatever has happened is in the past, now our only focus is on how to win the next matches.”
With the goal of earning a direct World Cup berth, Sakib emphasized,
“Our mindset is all about how we can qualify directly for the 2027 World Cup. Playing in the qualifiers doesn’t suit Bangladesh cricket. So our focus should be on ensuring we qualify automatically.”
