The main festival of Kolkata, Durga Puja, concluded last week, yet the spirit of celebration continues to grace every street in the city.

Kolkata, known as the "City of Joy," remains infused with joy and festivity of Durga Puja Carnival that took place at the Red Road on Friday. Meanwhile, the Bangladesh cricket team, having a challenging phase in the ICC World Cup, seeks to rekindle their spirit in Kolkata. They aim to restore a sense of pride when they take on the Netherlands at the iconic Eden Gardens on Saturday after enduring four losses in the five matches they've played in the event so far.

Bangladesh initiated their ICC World Cup campaign with promise, clinching a victory against Afghanistan in the inaugural match. However, that initial triumph proved elusive to replicate in their subsequent four encounters.

Ahead of the clash against the Netherlands, Taskin Ahmed, who may make a comeback in this match after being sidelined for the last couple of matches due to an injury concern, expressed optimism about returning to the winning streak.

“We have no alternative but to win now,” Taskin declared on Friday during a press conference at the Eden Gardens, where Bangladesh is set to play their first ODI in over 30 years.

While Bangladesh's prospects of advancing in the World Cup have nearly dimmed, Taskin's resolve remains unbroken.

“It's not over yet,” he insisted. “If we can win our next four matches, we might have a different story. For now, we are solely focused on the next match.”

Underestimating the Netherlands would be a costly oversight for Bangladesh, given the Dutch team's victory against South Africa in this World Cup. They have demonstrated strides in their cricketing prowess. Furthermore, Bangladesh has a history of stumbling against teams ranked lower in the ICC standings.

Taskin believes that success hinges not only on the bowlers, but also on the batters coming through and collaborating effectively with the bowlers. He emphasized that a combined effort is the only way to meet performance expectations.

“As far as I understand, the wickets don't offer much to the fast bowler in this World Cup,” Taskin remarked. “So, bowling fast deliveries isn't a guarantee of better results. Instead, a bowler needs to incorporate variation to achieve success.”

Taskin supports Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan’s decision to travel to Dhaka for batting sessions with his childhood coach. Shakib has been facing a tough phase in this World Cup, only managing to score 56 runs in four matches while taking six wickets.

“I believe Shakib’s decision is a positive one,” Taskin stated. “It will undoubtedly benefit the team if he can regain his form and make a significant contribution.”

Shakib's choice to temporarily part from the team in Kolkata during the World Cup in pursuit of refining his batting skills prompted some questions, potentially impacting the team's morale. However, Taskin dispelled any notion of adverse effects, assuring that the team stands in high spirits, resolute in their mission to restore their World Cup standing.

The Bangladesh team's zeal is poised to soar even higher, with heightened expectations of fervent support from the gallery at Eden Gardens. This fervor may be further kindled by fans who have journeyed from Bangladesh to witness the match.

“Yes, we anticipate an amplified wave of support in Kolkata,” Taskin affirmed. “We also eagerly await the backing of the Bengalis in Kolkata.”