Shakib Al Hasan targets semi-finals: It's difficult mathematically but anything can happen

Victory over Afghanistan in Southampton on Monday leaves Bangladesh fifth in the tournament standings, just a point behind the No.1 team in the world

Scorecard | Ratings | Talking Points | Sam Morshead

Shakib Al Hasan has urged Bangladesh to focus on their own game and maintain their self-belief in their quest to haul back England and reach the World Cup semi-finals.

Victory over Afghanistan in Southampton on Monday leaves Shakib’s side fifth in the tournament standings, just a point behind the No.1 team in the world.

England have played a game fewer than Bangladesh - they will make that up when they take on Australia at Lord’s on Tuesday - and can guarantee their place in the last four with two wins in their final three outings.

However, Shakib wants to keep the spotlight on what his side have to do - namely beat both India and Pakistan.

^{Shakib Al Hasan starred with ball and bat against Afghanistan}

“England have three more matches and they have to win one, we have two and we have to win two,” he said.

“It’s difficult mathematically but in cricket anything can happen. It will be difficult but we have to believe we can play well in the next two matches and get the result.

“We have to play two very important matches and get the results.”

India come next - at Edgbaston on July 2 - and Shakib acknowledged the difficulty of the task at hand against perhaps the most impressive team in the tournament to date.

“Experience will help but experience is not the end of the world,” he said. “We have to play our best cricket to beat India. They have world-class players who can take the matches in their own hands. We have to be at our best and I believe we are a capable enough team.”

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Shakib hit 51 - his fifth score of fifty or more in seven innings at this World Cup - to take top spot in the tournament runscorer rankings, and then claimed the best figures at this year’s event, 5-29, to scuttle out Afghanistan for 200.

“I don’t rank my performance at all but it is very satisfying when I’m comtobruting with both bowl and bat,” he said when asked to rate his individual display.

“It gives me more satisfaction than it gives when I’m contributing in one sector.

“I did prepare well but I never felt I had a point to prove. I did everything I could do before the World Cup started for my preparation. Luckily it’s been helping me a lot.”

Bangladesh batsman Mahmudullah suffered a calf strain while batting and has been sent for a scan on the problem area, the results of which the team’s management expect to have by tomorrow morning.

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