The problem of Bangladesh cricket

Bangladesh slid to yet another crushing defeat, this one against Pakistan, and the murmurs questioning their Test status are bound to grow louder in its wake. In the National, Osman Samiuddin suggests that instead of castigating Bangladesh and calling for their Test status to be revoked, it would be in cricket’s best interest to help Bangladesh to improve and become competitive.

But even if it could happen, why should it? International sport isn't only about the best teams competing among themselves. It makes space for all kinds of standards and it needs that. In any case, if cricket became any smaller, it would be a glorified hobby, not an international sport. The question should not be so much how Bangladesh can improve itself, but how much more cricket can help Bangladesh improve.