The silent contenders: Bangladesh cricket team
Over the past year and a half, the dynamics of world cricket has been changing left, right and centre. The super powers have been reduced to mere mortals fighting out to live another day. Mean while, the perennial underachievers are making their presence felt and recreating history around the world. The World Cup, once again, presents a challenge and a chance to many cricketers who have missed the glory for years together now.
As the world order in cricket is slowly changing, with teams like West Indies, New Zealand and Pakistan slowly losing their way and Australia struggling with inconsistent performances, Bangladesh look promising for better things with a World Cup being played at their home now.
The Co-Hosts
A look at the groupings for the World Cup reveals the chances for Bangladesh very evidently. Being the co-hosts along with India and Sri Lanka, Bangladesh get a chance to play all their group games in familiar and favorable conditions. Five years ago, no one would have given a chance for Bangladesh to win in their home against the top flight teams. But, the team has improved wonderfully well under Jamie Siddons in the last couple of years.
They are pitted against India, South Africa, England, West Indies, Ireland and Netherlands. In their own backyard, Bangladesh can definitely feel confident of winning against Ireland and Netherlands. West Indies aren’t anymore the force they used to be. If they indeed go on to beat the Tigers, it might as well be called an “upset” of sorts. On the contrary, if Bangladesh can achieve a resounding win against the Caribbean nation, the Tigers will be very close to finishing in the top 4 at the end of the league stages.
Now, when the time has finally come, even the harshest of the critics, will not blindly rule out Bangladesh from springing a surprise or two!
Three league wins might easily put Bangladesh in the radar to reaching the quarter final stage. But, if they motivate themselves and put up a spirited show as they did in West Indies (2007) by beating India and South Africa, in their den, then you would have a team totally dressed up to conquer peaks which they wouldn’t have ever dreamt of!
There is no secret about the kind of turf, the visitors would be playing in. It would be slow and low. The dew will play a huge role in the evening. The pitch would also carry some turn that would help the home team’s spinners.
If they go on to reach the Quarter Final, Bangladesh will again have a great chance to knock out the opponent. Let us take this scenario. If New Zealand end up playing Bangladesh in Bangladesh, what are the chances of Bangladesh reaching the semi final stage, considering their current form and their historic series win they had against the Kiwis recently? Teams like Australia and Sri Lanka might pose a tougher battle, but again, if Pakistan turns up against Bangladesh, you never know, what’s in store.
The semi final and the final will then be, one-off games where it all boils down to what the teams do on that day. It would in many ways, be a great achievement for Bangladesh, if they do make it to the semi final of the 2011 World Cup. It is a dream, accepted, but something that isn’t impossible to achieve either.
The Team
Bangladesh Squad – Shakib Al Hasan (C), Tamim Iqbal, Abdur Razzak, Imrul Kayes, Junaid Siddique, Mahmudullah, Mohammed Ashraful, Mushfiqur Rahim, Naeem Islam, Nazmul Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Raqibul Hasan, Shafiul Islam, Shahriar Nafees and Suhrawadi Shuvo.
Every time, I look at this Bangladeshi outfit, I am strongly reminded of the Sri Lanka of 1996. Pack up the bowling unit with spinners who keep the run flow check, add a couple of explosive top order batsmen along with handy all-rounders in the middle order. What more, most of the players are young and are very good as a fielding unit.
Tamim is as explosive as you can ever get for the opener’s slot. The lad is extremely talented and his form through the last year suggested that he is in for bigger things. He has been out due to injury for some time now.
Two of the world’s best young players currently, Shakib and Tamim will share the bulk of the responsibility on the field. Their skill levels have also elevated them to the role of the captain and the deputy of their team now. Tamim is as explosive as you can ever get for the opener’s slot. The lad is extremely talented and his form through the last year suggested that he is in for bigger things. He has been out due to injury for some time now. He would never get such a golden opportunity to make it big very early in his career. There is lot of stability in the Bangladeshi batting order nowadays. Junaid Siddique, Imrul Kayes, Mahmudullah, Shahrias Nafees and Shakib Al Hasan offer great strength to the side.
Over the last year or so, the side has performed really well with the bat. They’ve seldom lost the plot and floundered opportunities. In fact, in the last 12 months, Bangladesh has scored less than 200 only once at home, when teams like England and New Zealand have toured the nation. When queried at a higher level, statistics suggest that the team’s lowest score last year has been 167 (at Dambulla) despite travelling to England, Scotland, Sri Lanka and New Zealand. Surely, their batting is in good shape, in the lead up to the tournament.
Bangladesh’s real strength lies in their bowling. Rubel and Shafiul should mostly play all the games! They’re genuinely quick bowlers who can be quite a plentiful even on a slow track. Both the bowlers are experts with slower deliveries. However, the real game changers are their spinners. The games would mostly be decided when Abdur Razzak, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah, Suhrawadi Shuvo and Naeem Islam will be operating. Indian fans need not go any further than their opening game in West Indies, four years ago. India were never allowed to getaway and that meant, India couldn’t post a winning total.
It is never a mistake to dream! But, it would be unpardonable a mistake, if we never work towards our dreams. Bangladesh has travelled miles around the world over the last year or so. With the distances travelled, they’ve added on lots of pages of maturity and experience in their diaries! Now, when the time has finally come, even the harshest of the critics, will not blindly rule out Bangladesh from springing a surprise or two! And yeah, don’t be surprised if the “Tigers” are on the hunt at Mohali on 30th March 2010, a couple of months from now on!