Bangladesh’s record in the Champions Trophy has been far from impressive. In the previous edition of the tournament, their only memorable victory in the main event came against New Zealand. This year, predicting a successful campaign for Bangladesh is difficult, especially after Najmul Hossain Shanto’s team struggled against Pakistan ‘A’ in a warm-up match.
However, former Indian spinner Murali Kartik remains optimistic about Bangladesh’s chances in the Champions Trophy. Speaking as part of Cricbuzz’s expert panel ahead of the tournament, Kartik went as far as labeling Bangladesh as a serious title contender.
While Virender Sehwag, Parthiv Patel, Michael Vaughan, and Dinesh Karthik picked Afghanistan as the tournament’s ‘dark horse,’ Murali Kartik chose Bangladesh instead. Describing Shanto, Mushfiqur, and their team as a “very dangerous side”, he highlighted Bangladesh’s potential to cause major upsets.
When asked about semifinal predictions, Murali Kartik placed Bangladesh alongside India from Group ‘A.’ Such an outcome would mean heartbreak for hosts Pakistan and recent tri-series winners New Zealand.
From Group ‘B,’ Kartik predicted that South Africa and Australia would advance to the semifinals.
In the discussion on potential champions, Kartik named India and Bangladesh as the top contenders for the title.
The tournament will kick off on Wednesday, February 19, with hosts Pakistan facing New Zealand at Karachi’s National Stadium.
