New Delhi, Feb 25 (NationPress) Former India cricketer Wasim Jaffer criticized Bangladesh's senior players for their ongoing struggles in ICC events, asserting that they faltered yet again under pressure during their five-wicket defeat to New Zealand in the Champions Trophy held in Rawalpindi.

Bangladesh's latest exit showcased a distressingly familiar trend: a batting collapse leading to a subpar total. Despite a commendable bowling performance, their inability to set a competitive score resulted in back-to-back losses that led to their elimination from the tournament.

In what was practically a knockout match against New Zealand, Bangladesh managed to score only 236 for 9 in their allotted 50 overs, a total Jaffer felt was at least 50 to 60 runs short on a Rawalpindi pitch that offered minimal assistance for the bowlers.

"We've mostly seen Shakib Al Hasan shine during the 2019 ODI World Cup. However, it's uncertain whether it's the pressure that affects them or if they impose excessive pressure on themselves; they simply fail to deliver. They could easily have posted over 300 runs on that pitch, but they fell short by 50 to 60 runs. They must accept responsibility for this. Expecting the bowling unit to dismiss a team like New Zealand for under 240 is too much," Jaffer commented on ESPNcricinfo's Match Day.

Their challenges were further exacerbated by poor shot selection from crucial batters. Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah, two of Bangladesh's most seasoned players, both succumbed to careless strokes in the 27th over, leaving their side in a precarious position.

"The shot selection today was quite disappointing. Mushfiqur's shot, Mahmudullah's reckless stroke—they needed to step up in such critical games and make an impact. Unfortunately, this has been the recurring theme in ICC events," he added.

The remaining batting order failed to compensate. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto performed well with a score of 77, while the rest of the batsmen got starts but couldn't convert them into match-winning innings.

In the field, Bangladesh missed opportunities that could have altered the game's outcome. Rachin Ravindra, who played a crucial inning, was dropped twice—first on 93 by Mehidy Hasan Miraz and then on 106 by Mahmudullah.

Despite the defeat, former New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond recognized potential in Bangladesh's bowling lineup. "I appreciate the look of their bowling attack. They possess speed and have a left-arm bowler in Mustafizur Rahman, which teams like New Zealand and England lack. The spinners are also impressive.

"The fine margins matter... they missed crucial chances. Missing run-outs or dropping catches can be the difference between winning and losing. Had they capitalized on those chances, the match could have taken a different turn. Their bowling attack has a lot of promise; ultimately, their batting was the issue," Bond said.