New Zealand star James Neesham has backed Bangladesh to do well in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024. The highly-anticipated event is scheduled to take place in the Caribbeans and the United States of America in June this year.
The 33-year-old is currently in Bangladesh where he is playing in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League. He is representing Rangpur Riders in the competition. Bangladesh are yet to win an ICC trophy or qualify for the final. As far as their record in the T20 World Cup is concerned, they have not managed to do well.
While they have played in all the editions of the competition so far, they are yet to make it to the knockout stage. In the last four editions of the T20 World Cup, they crashed out at the second stage of the tournament after managing just two wins in each edition. In the 2022 T20 World Cup, Bangladesh won only two games and finished at the ninth spot in the 16-team competition.
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James Neesham on Bangladesh’s chances:
While Bangladesh have not performed in the T20 World Cups so far, James Neesham believes they could be a dark horse for the upcoming edition of the competition. He started by pointing out that Bangladesh could have defeated New Zealand in their backyard in the three-match T20I series in December. The series eventually ended at 1-1.
He further said that Bangladesh cricket has gone from strength to strength in recent times and also highlighted the team’s impressive pace bowling department. James Neesham stated that no team can take Bangladesh for granted in the T20 World Cup.
“I think we were quite lucky to get away from the T20 series in New Zealand. We probably could have lost the series as well. Bangladesh cricket has gone from strength to strength over the last few years, especially the fast bowling department.
“We used to almost bully Bangladesh cricket in our conditions which are bouncy and we had seam bowlers a lot quicker and lot bouncier than them. But what we have seen in the last couple of tours, you got a pacer Shoriful, who can swing the ball with pace and get good bounce,” James Neesham was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.
“They obviously had a strong tour in New Zealand and they should be happy with that. None can take them for granted in the upcoming T20 World Cup. It won’t be that easy. They will be extremely an challenging team with the kind of conditions we have seen in the West Indies. I think there is a lot of potential in Bangladesh cricket and there are strong players around,” he added.
Bangladesh did perform well on their tour of Bangladesh in December last year. After losing the first two ODIs, they won the third ODI by nine wickets after bowling out New Zealand for just 98. They also won the first T20I before the second T20I ended without a result and the hosts won the third T20I.
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