Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu, the chairman of the Bangladesh national team selection panel, has tempered expectations for the upcoming T20 World Cup, emphasizing that the team is not yet at a stage to set lofty goals.

According to Lipu, the immediate focus is on navigating through the first round of the tournament. He expressed hope that if the team progresses to the second round, they will then set their sights on further objectives.

Lipu outlined the challenges the team may face in the group phase, particularly against formidable opponents like South Africa and Sri Lanka. While he acknowledged the possibility of victory against Sri Lanka, he also stressed the pressure both teams would be under. Regarding South Africa, Lipu noted the significant gap in performance and emphasized the need for Bangladesh to excel or for South Africa to falter for a win to be feasible. He identified matches against Nepal and Netherlands as opportunities for victories.

The chairman highlighted Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto's recent call for fans to manage their expectations, interpreting it as a message to take the tournament one match at a time rather than anticipating too much.

Lipu attributed the widespread cricket fervor in Bangladesh to the captain's remarks, emphasizing the importance of approaching T20 cricket cautiously given the team's current standing.

Despite Bangladesh's notable performance in the 2022 T20 World Cup, where they won two matches in the Super 12 phase, Lipu stressed the need for a gradual progression and cautioned against expecting semifinal appearances at this stage.