Bermuda’s fairytale World Cup journey ended yesterday in the same way it began — with a crushing defeat.

A seven-wicket reverse to Bangladesh in the their final group match at the Queen’s Park Oval followed equally demoralising losses to Sri Lanka and India. But on a day when persistent rain showers played a huge role in shaping the result, Bermuda made life difficult for the Asian Test team, drawing praise from both their opponents and their army of supporters.

While the fans had little to cheer as the wet weather all but drowned Island hopes of a final-game upset from the very beginning, they applauded wildly as Bermuda bowler Saleem Mukuddem snapped up three Bangladeshi wickets, taking his personal World Cup haul to five.

And they raised the roof when big hitter Lionel Cann walloped three boundaries, including a six, in one whirlwind over.

But for the most part, yesterday was about waiting for the rain to abate and perhaps hoping that after a poor start with the bat, umpires might reschedule the match for today’s reserve.

That they chose not to play into the hands of the young Bangladeshi side who, having upset India last week, needed victory to take their place in the upcoming Super Eight stage.

Ultimately it was a victory made much easier by the umpires’ decision to reduce the game to just 21 overs a side — a decision taken after Bermuda had already lost four of their wickets.

Meanwhile, Bermuda fans also wondered out loud why coach Gus Logie had decided not to play all of his youngsters.

Malachi Jones, who at just 17, grabbed a wicket with his first ball against India, was left on the sidelines as was his fellow teenage team-mate Stefan Kelly who, as such, didn’t get to play in any of the three World Cup games.

Back-up wicketkeeper Kwame Tucker suffered the same fate, although Logie had indicated last week he would give every one of the players in his 15-man squad a chance to experience playing on the game’s biggest stage.

While surviving teams now head off for Antigua, Guyana, Barbados and Grenada for the Super Eight, Bermuda’s players will prepare for their return home on Wednesday.