"If we had lost to India or Australia or any top-ranked team like we did against Zimbabwe probably there won't have been so many questions" - Tamim Iqbal

Following their ODI series defeat in Zimbabwe, Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal defended his side, saying they wouldn't have faced questions had they lost to a top-ranked team. However, he admitted that they have plenty to improve on in the format.

Bangladesh, who beat South Africa and West Indies in their last two ODI series, lost to Zimbabwe 2-1.

Zimbabwe delivered two excellent batting performances in the first couple of ODIs before the tourists pulled one in the final game.

Speaking after a 106-run win in the third ODI, Iqbal believes if any top-ranked side had defeated Bangladesh, it would've been acceptable. However, Iqbal took nothing away from Zimbabwe and adjudged them as the superior team.

As quoted by Cricbuzz, he said:

"Look if we had lost to India or Australia or any top-ranked team like we did against Zimbabwe probably there won't have been so many questions. If Kohli or Steve Smith played like this we would have accepted that they are top players and played like this and we didn't have anything to do.

"We didn't play to our potential and Zimbabwe was a better team in the series and there is no doubt about it and the full credit goes to Zimbabwe."

Despite the series loss, the 33-year-old believes they are a threatening ODI side and that rankings don't show the true picture. He added:

"I have said this before. Yes, we have lost the series but we are a serious ODI team and even now I would say we are a fantastic ODI team and we had a great run, but the graph will not be only upwards as you have to come down and then you go up. It was a great learning for us because I always say that ranking doesn't matter."

One of the main reasons for Bangladesh's defeat was their poor fielding, having dropped four catches in the first ODI while defending 303. The visitors will leave Zimbabwe having lost both the T20 and ODI series.

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"This is one of our team goals going forward, we want to score 350" - Tamim Iqbal

Tamim Iqbal has so far played 231 ODIs. (Credits: Getty)

Keeping in mind the 2023 50-over World Cup in India, Iqbal declared that one of their primary targets is to score 350 as he expects the par score in the mega tournament to be 300.

He said:

"This is one of our team goals going forward, we want to score 350. We want to score 350 or 400 someday that we have never done before so that's in the team goal as well. I am not saying we want to score 350 in our next game but that's the goal we have set because if I think too far ahead and if I think about the World Cup, especially in India, the par score will be 300."

Bangladesh's next assignment is the Asia Cup, which starts on August 27 in the UAE. They will play their first game against Afghanistan on August 30 in Sharjah.