Bangladesh suffer major setback in latest T20I rankings – Is this their lowest point in cricketing history?

Not all seems to be going well for Bangladesh in the white-ball format, especially if we speak of their current run in the shortest format. Following a crushing series defeat against Pakistan, Bangladesh cricket has reached a new low. The Tigers have fallen behind and find themselves ranked 10th in the ICC Men's T20I Team rankings. The steep decline in their recent form in this format has attracted the ire of their fans and the cricketing community. 

See also: BCB president sacked, board risks ICC suspension

Their shocking series loss to the USA, an associate nation prior to the start of the 2024 T20 World Cup, sent shockwaves across the nation. If that blow wasn't enough, Bangladesh cricket reached another low point by losing a bilateral T20 series against the UAE this month despite being in a healthy position. Their series defeat against Pakistan has now acted as a final nail in the coffin. 

Following their 57-run defeat to Pakistan in the second T20I, Afghanistan has slipped below Afghanistan and finds itself marginally ahead of Ireland, Zimbabwe, and Scotland, all of whom have defeated Bangladesh at least once in this format.

Current ICC Men's T20I Rankings Points Table (Top 15)

Rank	Team	Points	Matches	Ratings
01	India	15425	57	271
02	Australia	7593	29	262
03	England	9402	37	254
04	New Zealand	10224	41	249
05	West Indies	9584	39	246
06	South Africa	8578	35	245
07	Sri Lanka	7287	31	235
08	Pakistan	10315	45	229
09	Afghanistan	6699	30	223
10	Bangladesh	9219	42	220
11	Ireland	6247	31	202
12	Zimbabwe	8805	44	200
13	Scotland	3049	16	191
14	Netherlands	4597	25	184
15	UAE	7338	40	183

It is safe to conclude that Bangladesh cricket has hit rock bottom. This is one of the lowest points of their cricketing history. The flashes of brilliance in the early 2000s instilled a renewed sense of optimism, and the world hoped to see Bangladesh become a force to reckon with. But decades have gone by, and Bangladesh cricket continues to grapple with issues, both internally and externally.  

In 2024, a student uprising led to the ouster of the country's long-standing president, Sheikh Hasina. In the wake of this unfortunate development, the national cricketing body underwent a phase of turmoil and uncertainty, which has had a direct impact on the team's recent performance. Very recently, BCB also dismissed Faruque Ahmed from the president position as a result of government interference, a move which could lead to the board's temporary suspension by the ICC.