“Losing the captain is a big blow, but there’s an opportunity to learn: Phil Simmons”

Bangladesh bowed out of the Asia Cup after suffering an 11-run defeat against Pakistan in the Super Four stage. The Tigers were without their regular captain Litton Das, who missed the game due to injury, while opener Tanzid Hasan Tamim was also left out of the playing XI. Both players had been instrumental in Bangladesh’s Asia Cup campaign—Tanzid’s brilliant fifty against Sri Lanka laid the foundation for a crucial victory, while Litton had been consistently scoring runs with the bat.

Head coach Phil Simmons admitted that missing both players proved to be a huge setback for the team.

“Just two matches ago, we chased down 160 on the same wicket. But the truth is, we are not yet at a stage where we can easily replace players like Litton and Tanzid,” Simmons said after the match.

He further added, “Losing such important players is a big blow for the team. We are not there yet, but we are working towards reaching that level.”

According to Simmons, Bangladesh need to improve their batting approach, focusing on partnerships and strike rotation rather than just big hits. “We are not short of players who can clear the ropes. But our biggest challenge is batting for long periods and building consistent partnerships,” the head coach explained.