The biggest positive, if there was any, of the Bangladesh national cricket team in the last two series would be the performances of the top-order batters, especially the openers in Tanzid Hasan and Parvez Hossain.
They laid a strong foundation for the team by scoring at a hefty rate on batting-friendly conditions. But as the top order started to find some rhythm, the middle order has been out of sorts.
With the middle order struggling and Bangladesh鈥檚 bowling and fielding not up to the mark, that resulted in consecutive series losses for the Liton Das-led team. After losing to the UAE 2-1, Bangladesh were clean swept by Pakistan in the three-match series.
In 2024, Bangladesh鈥檚 main batting problem lay in the top order. Last year, the openers collectively averaged 19.25 with a strike rate of 110.86.
If the numbers of the top three batters are considered, the collective average was 18.93 with a 109.45 strike rate.
Often the middle order had to cope with the fact that a big score wasn鈥檛 on the horizon, so they wanted to post a moderate total so that the bowlers would put up a fight.
The middle-order batters (number four to seven) averaged collectively 22.88 with a strike rate of 119.91 in 24 matches Bangladesh played in 2024.
But the average of the middle order dipped to 14.71 in the first six matches of 2025. The strike rate (124.59) was slightly better, though the pitches were batting friendly.
Whereas the openers have averaged 36.08 with a whopping strike rate of 165.90 in this period. And by virtue of that, the collective average of the top order increased to 31.16 while the strike rate was 158.02.
However, when asked about the performances of the middle order, head coach Phil Simmons said that it wasn鈥檛 much of a concern for them.
鈥楾here is backup in the squad, but again they performed in the last two series,鈥� said Simmons. 鈥業f we go back two series, they performed. So, this is [just] one series. We need to make sure we take it as one series.鈥�
He also said that they need some work to do in that regard.
聽鈥榃e [will] go back and try to get them back in form. We just said that Saim Ayub hadn鈥檛 been in form for a while, but now he鈥檚 back. So players go through that. So our couple of middle-order batters have gone through that in this series here. So we have to go back and work with them,鈥� said Simmons.
The team management has been trying to establish the fact that the previous two series have been part of Bangladesh鈥檚 rebuilding process towards the World Cup next year.
But often Bangladesh seem to be solving too many problems at one time. The middle order has been added to that list.
