Since the last Asia Cup, Zakir Ali Anik has been going through a tough time with the bat. The aggressive Zakir who once made an impression early in his career seems to have lost his touch. He’s often giving away his wicket while trying to play offside deliveries across the line. At one point, he was even dropped from the playing XI, and upon returning, the same struggles continued. Yet Bangladesh captain Litton Das remains confident that Zakir will soon find his rhythm again.
Yesterday (Friday), Bangladesh suffered a whitewash after losing the final T20I against the West Indies. Zakir managed only 5 runs off 3 balls in that match. Across his last 10 innings in ODIs and T20Is combined, he has crossed 30 just once, and in 5 matches he’s been dismissed for single-digit scores.
Speaking after the match about Zakir’s poor form, Litton said, “There’s only one way to make a comeback—stay brave and don’t overthink. If you think too much, negativity takes over. Positive thoughts will help him.”
Encouraging his teammate, Litton added, “He needs to back himself, give himself time, and stay close to the people who support him. I believe he’ll make a comeback soon—and a good one.”
Litton also expressed faith in the rest of the team, saying, “Everyone who’s playing for the team is proven. Losing a couple of series can happen. If a player has 5–6 bad matches, that doesn’t mean he’s a bad cricketer.”