Mushfiqur Rahim: Rise of the Phoenix
On March 23, 2016, a premature victory celebration against India in the T20 World Cup landed Mushfiqur Rahim at the receiving end of a lot of jokes and taunts. Two and half years down the line, Mushfiqur came to bat with Bangladesh struggling at 2 for 1 (which included Tamim Iqbal injured with a broken wrist but came in to bat at the end) against Sri Lanka in the opening match of Asia Cup.
It needed a special effort from the diminutive batsman to overthrow the Lankan challenge that was being led by none other than Lasith Malinga. Mushfiqur did not let the pressure get better of him and guided his team to what would turn out to be a match-winning score.
But this change did not happen overnight. Let us see how his career changed post-March 23, 2016 in the shorter version of the game i.e. T20s & ODIs.
In T20Is post the 2016 T20 World Cup, Mushfiqur averages a strong 30.6 (in 17 matches) with a strike rate of 135. In the same period, in the ODIs, he averages 45.7 (in 29 matches) with a strike rate of 87. Below is the breakup of the above matches:
In one of his interviews published in print media, Mushfiqur explained how practicing that bit harder helped him improve his on-field performance. "If you can finish a lap in 50 seconds instead of 60, that extra motivation in my fitness level translates into similar confidence in the skills part. I always try to prepare well ahead of time, and imagine what I may be facing," he said.
All this would not have been possible without the following:
1) Change of Mindset – Over the period, Mushfiqur has learnt his lessons and has developed the ability to soak in the chaos around him. This has been evident in the way he has changed his approach towards the game. He has developed the skill to pace the innings.
Along with it, he now tries to stay on the crease till the end and guide his team as per the situation transpiring around him. He no longer relies on playing attacking shots from the onset.
2) Fitness – Mental toughness and physical fitness go hand in hand. Mushfiqur is maturing with experience and the innings of 144 against Sri Lanka gave a peek into his fitness. The conditions were hot and humid, the team was under immense pressure, but he delivered.
3) Technique – During this innings as well as in some of his earlier innings, he has shown improvement in his technique. It has got more solid. This is also evident from the fact that he scored 110 & 60 against South Africa in South Africa.
While audiences across the world may not let him forget the match against India, he certainly is becoming a force to reckon in ODIs. His ability to score quickly as well as rotate the strike can make him a Bangladesh cricketing legend and a pivot for their 2019 World Cup campaign