A man is as big as his dreams. If you don't dream big, you won't grow up. You can't grow up by only dreaming big, but without dreaming, without planning, without preparing, without accepting sacrifices, one has achieved something great; it does not happen. I’m taking about one dream: we’ll win the 2023 Cricket World Cup. If we continue to see this dream from now on and work hard according to a solid plan for that goal, it is very possible that we can become the champions in this World Cup event in India in October–November 2023.

It has been a dream for a long time. By 2023, it will have become a very achievable target. And the last golden opportunity for us to do well in the near future is the 2023 World Cup. This is probably the last World Cup for Shakib, Mushfiq, and Riyad. Let's say the words of hope first. In the ODI Super League, Bangladesh scored 155 points and stood third in the points table. England is number two, getting equal points but a slightly higher run rate. Besides, we have a bunch of experienced players who have experience with big occasions. Including some young talents, the team became well balanced, and the depth of batting and bowling both increased to a great extent. Though the statistics don’t favor us, we can hope because the game is played on the field, where statistics neither win nor lose.

I recently watched the Indian film ‘83’. When India traveled to England to participate in the World Cup in 1983 under the leadership of Kapil Dev, no Indian believed that this team could win the championship. During the 1983 World Cup journey, the financial condition of the Indian cricket team was miserable. In addition, they had no coach. The manager wanted a pass to London to watch the Lord's final, but authorities laughed and said India would not play the final again, so there was no need for that pass. Furthermore, they were not treated equally like the West Indies, the world champions, regarding security, facilities, and rights as a team. But by defeating all odds, they became champions. So if they could do it, why can’t we?

We have the world's best all-rounder, Shakib Al Hasan. The big stage of the World Cup is waiting to see the magic of Mustafiz. Mahmudullah Riyad is the hero of the big stage. Mushfiqur is a diligent and dependable player, practicing hard and promising that the World Cup stage will be perfect for him to show his best. Batting of Liton Das is worth watching. Pacers like Taskin and Shoriful have been doing very well recently. And our spinners are forever assets. So, it is evident that we have the balance we need to perform.

Now we need a proper plan from our cricket planners. As a cricket fan, I watched so many matches and read history too. We can talk about the experiences of others here. Sri Lanka won the 1996 World Cup because of two things. One is that they have played with the same team for a long time. As a result, the understanding between the players was top-notch. They batted aggressively from the very beginning, scored more runs in the first 15 overs, and changed the pattern of the game. Going to Brazil, the German team that beat Brazil 7-1 in the World Cup football and won the championship beating Argentina rented an island in Brazil and practiced together for a long time. We have better examples right at home. Bangladesh won the Under-19 Cricket World Cup in 2020. Did we think to beat a team like India to become champions? But it happened. Before going to the World Cup, under the leadership of Akbar Ali, the Bangladesh team played numerous preparatory matches together. The style of play and the body language were also aggressive, which surprised India in the final. India is not a team to give up. But in the end, Bangladesh was confident. Not lost before losing. So the takeaway is that playing together, fostering unity and taking the upper hand right from the beginning is the key to success.

In the last England World Cup, we felt that we were tired of going a bit too early and playing more competitive cricket. We did well in the first few games at that pace, but by the end, we had little physical and mental strength left. The strategy for this edition will be decided by the experts. But we can clearly see some scope for improvement. Lower middle-order batting, a solid opening partnership and a lack of leg spinners are some of the problems. We can surely solve those problems if management takes them seriously.

If we become champions, the entire country will become confident. This success will work as a catalyst to snatch success in many other areas. But if we don’t become champions, there is no harm in that either. There's no shame in trying to be a champion and not being a champion. But thinking that we are not here to be the champion is a crime. Miracles can happen when you believe. We have to believe that we will be the winners. And I will strive for that goal.

Victory is coming...