Bangladesh team director Khaled Mahmud claimed that the Tigers didn’t finish with a below par performance in the ongoing edition of the ICC T20 World Cup in Australia.

 Bangladesh, who had a lone victory at the main stages of the global event before going into this version of the showpiece event, ended with two wins against the Netherlands and Zimbabwe, respectively.

However, the five-wicket defeat that they suffered against Pakistan in their last Super 12 game dashed their maiden semi-final dreams as the game turned into a virtual quarter-final after the Netherlands handed a 13-run defeat to Africa in the day's first game. 

'We had improvement in each game that raised our expectations as well to secure a spot in the semis. However, I think we didn’t do too bad at all, said Mahmud on Monday in Adelaide.

He further praised Najmul Hossain Shanto thanks to his two fifties, terming it as out of the box as the Tiger opener underwent a severe criticism on the back of his poor form in his earlier appearances.

‘Despite enduring a huge denunciation, the shows Shanto displayed were out of the box. It was really difficult to release the pressure he had been facing.

 Shanto, who concluded with 25 and 9 against the Netherlands and South Africa in the opening two ties of the World Cup, respectively, secured his maiden fifty [71] T20I against Zimbabwe, which paved the way for the Tigers to beat Zimbabwe.

 Although he got out for 21 in the following tie against India, he could turn around strongly against Pakistan, hitting a 48-ball 52, his second half century in T20I.