Bangladesh players face hostile crowd, team vehicles attacked after Afghanistan whitewash

The Bangladesh cricket team returned home to a hostile and emotional backlash.

After their humiliating whitewash at the hands of Afghanistan. Disappointed fans and sections of the media greeted the players with anger and jeers at the airport, expressing frustration over the tea     m’s string of poor performances. Some eyewitnesses reported tense scenes, with vehicles carrying players being attacked and slogans shouted against the side.

The reaction followed Bangladesh’s 0-3 defeat in the ODI series held in the UAE, where Afghanistan dominated throughout. The final blow came in the third ODI on October 14 in Abu Dhabi, where Bangladesh collapsed for just 93 runs in 27.1 overs while chasing 294. Skipper Mehidy Hasan’s tough start to his captaincy continued — the loss marked his ninth defeat in ten matches in charge. Apart from Sai Hassan’s 43, none of the batters managed to reach double digits, underscoring the depth of Bangladesh’s batting struggles.

As anger mounted, several players opened up about the emotional toll of the backlash. Young opener Naim Sheikh took to social media with a heartfelt message, reminding fans of the pride and pressure that come with representing the country.

“We don’t just play cricket — we carry our nation’s flag on our hearts,” Naim wrote. “We know defeats hurt, but so do attacks and hatred. We always try to make Bangladesh proud, even when we fall short. Let criticism come with reason, not rage.”

He added that the team would continue to fight and rebuild trust, urging fans to stay united behind the red and green flag.

The recent results have once again highlighted Bangladesh’s decline in ODI cricket, especially when compared to rising regional rivals like Afghanistan. With confidence low and criticism mounting, Mehidy’s men will now aim to bounce back quickly when they host the West Indies for a three-match ODI and T20I series starting October 18.