Wednesday was a contrasting day in the office for the Bangladesh men’s cricket team and Bangladesh women’s football team.
While the Tigers suffered a sensational meltdown to concede the first Sri Lanka One Day International from a position of advantage, the Bengal Tigresses created history, qualifying for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup finals for the first time.
Sadly in a way, captain Mehedi Hasan Miraz and his teammates also made history albeit unwanted, after losing a whopping seven wickets for only five runs en route to a 77-run humbling in Colombo.
In the history of ODIs, no other team added fewer runs from the loss of the second wicket to the eighth as it turned into a procession for the Bangladesh batters, with one after another making their trip to the crease before returning to the pavilion in double quick time.
It was also the second worst seven-wicket collapse in 50-over cricket, behind Zimbabwe who succumbed from 124/3 to 127/10 against Sri Lanka in 2008.
Away in Yangon meanwhile, the women in red and green brought glory for the country, downing hosts and five-time Asian Cup participant Myanmar 2-1, thanks to a brilliant brace by South Asian women’s football’s MVP Ritu Porna Chakma.
Both the goals were scorchers as Ritu outsmarted Myanmar goalkeeper Myo Ma Ma Nyein with a left-footed lob from the left flank in the second half, after getting the better of the netminder and opposition defenders in the first half, driving home the rebound with her favoured left foot from her own free kick at the right flank.
Peter Butler’s charges remarkably advanced to the 12-team Asian Cup 2026 finals as only the fifth side, and first among the qualifiers, with Australia (hosts), China (2022 winners), South Korea (2022 runners-up) and Japan (2022 third place) not playing in the competition having qualified automatically.
This was another feather in the cap for Bangladesh women’s football and their stunning achievement should come as no surprise.
Not only are the women in red and green two-time defending champions of the South Asian Football Federation Championship, thus stamping their authority in this region as the dominant force, they have also performed admirably against higher ranked opponents consistently in recent times.
English coach Butler, who guided his disciples to their second SAFF crown last year, now wants the Bengal Tigresses to take the next step – cement their place in Asia’s elite.
They will get the first opportunity to do so next year in March in the 21st edition of Asian women’s football’s biggest tournament.
But besides pitting their wits against the very best Asia has to offer, Bangladesh can also make further slices of history in Australia and strike down two birds with one stone.
The 2026 Asian Cup will also serve as the qualification stage for the 2027 FIFA World Cup Brazil as well as the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Two great incentives no doubt but for Bangladesh to realise this beautiful dream, they must advance past the 12-team group phase, which will be followed by the quarter-finals – featuring the three group champions and runner-up sides along with the two best third-place nations.
A quarter-final berth will see Bangladesh progress to the Olympic qualifying tournament, which is the final stretch of the Olympic qualifiers.
As far as a World Cup spot is concerned, and with it unprecedented history, all the Bengal Tigresses, given that they get past the group stage, have to do is win their quarter-final.
In the event of a defeat in the quarters, Bangladesh will get a second shot in the playoffs - comprising the four losing quarter-finalists - which will provide two World Cup places.
But if Bangladesh lose again in the playoffs, they will get a third chance to qualify for the World Cup through the inter-confederation playoffs which will determine the final three places for the mega event.
Can the Bangladesh women do it?
The fans can certainly hope, what with eight out of the 12 teams advancing to the quarter-finals.
So which are the teams Bangladesh are likely to come up against in the Asian Cup?
The tournament draw will be held later this month in Sydney where the teams will be seeded according to their FIFA ranking.
The three groups of four teams will be drafted from four pots with one side from each pot making up a group.
Australia, Japan and China are in Pot 1, South Korea in Pot 2 and Bangladesh, ranked 128th, in Pot 4.
For instance, Bangladesh can only be drawn with one of Australia, Japan or China from Pot 1, and one each from Pot 2 and 3.
As for the other qualifiers, India, Chinese Taipei, Vietnam, Nepal, Philippines and North Korea currently top their respective groups ahead of the final matchday and favourites to go through, while the Pool A matches are yet to begin.
Among them, Bangladesh have beaten India and Nepal in both the triumphant SAFF campaigns in 2024 and 2022.
A favourable group in the Asian Cup draw ceremony later this month and Bangladesh will be well within their right to target at least one of the two best third place finishes which would earn a last eight spot.
The female booters and the coaching staff will have seven-eight months to prepare themselves for that exact goal.
Every bit of preparation will be made keeping in mind the build up to the Asian Cup, but for now it can wait.
Qualifying for their first ever Asian Cup calls for a grand celebration and Butler has promised as such.
Three cheers for the Bengal Tigresses!
