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Bangladesh cricket under fire

The Bangladesh cricket team was under fire from the cricket-crazy country's press on Saturday over what was dubbed a "shameful" defeat by Pakistan.

In a one-day international in the seventh Asia Cup tournament in Dhaka on Friday, Bangladesh were beaten by the huge margin of 233 runs.

Chasing a huge Pakistan score of 320-3, Bangladesh were dismissed for only 87 runs in 34.2 overs, after losing also to India and defending champions Sri Lanka.

It was a "disaster", said the Independent newspaper. "No amount of consoling was of any avail."

The paper said Pakistan had taken "sweet revenge" - a reference to Bangladesh's upset victory against Pakistan in last year's World Cup.

"Bangladesh outclassed," said one commentator, adding that the fans wanted a "repeat of the World Cup feat against Pakistan ... with a hope that the Royal Bengal Tiger would once again roar in front of them."

The anger and frustration of the holiday crowd which packed the stadium despite soaring temperatures finally gave way to jokes and merrymaking to cope with the humiliating situation unfolding in front of them.

"We are now having great fun. The match is too much, so what is the point of spoiling our time?" asked a philosophical fan, Nazrul Islam.

But commentator Athar Ali Khan, a former member of the Bangladesh national team, said: "I feel they (Pakistan) had possibly the revenge thing in their mind and they played to prove that point.

"I can tell you that not only Bangladesh, but any other team facing the attack Pakistan launched yesterday from the very start would not be in good shape," he said.

"I did not see the skill I hoped the team would display against Pakistan and we lost miserably."

He said the match clearly told the Bangladesh team that they had a lot to learn if they wanted to play Test cricket.

"The other need is the picking of new players, younger ones," Khan said.

The Bhorer Kagoj and the mass circulation Daily Janakantha newspapers echoed the Independent, saying: "Pakistan avenged its World Cup defeat against Bangladesh merrily."

The Prothom Alo daily went a step further: "This time the Bangladesh team gifted us shame."

The Daily Star said: "There could not have been a more pathetic sight before than the one that was enacted at Dhaka on Friday.

"The players, supposed to be the best that this country has, produced a chain of poor shows, that too, on their home ground.

"There cannot be any greater tragedy for Bangladesh."

Bangladesh skipper Aminul Islam told reporters: "Pakistan is among the best in the world, but we could never imagine the way it turned out."