Tiger Tweets

The 3-0 comprehensive test series win has taken Bangladesh cricket team to new heights. It is undoubtedly the most satisfying win for the tiger squad apart from the other white wash that Bangladesh team against a depleted West Indies team by 2-0 in 2009. Many termed the series as “Poor men Ashes” as two of the bottom teams of ICC test ranking locked horns in the do or die battle. Zimbabwe just came from a very impressive triangular ODI series against Australia and South Africa. Bangladesh on the other hand was leaking their wounds from a series white wash against West Indies. It was a massive turn around, a great team performance which has reasons to celebrate for Bangladeshis at home and abroad.

Quite a few very impressive personal milestones were achieved in the series. Star all-rounder Sakib Ul Hasan just after returning from suspension joined Aussie all-rounderMitchell Johnson as the only second player after getting 18 wickets and scoring 251 runs. Only Johnson did it before him with 255 runs and 16 wickets against South Africa in 2008-09.

Two Bangladeshi batsmen Tamim Iqbal and Mominul Haque accumulated more than 300 runs in the three test series. Tamim did this for the first time. Mominul scored 376 earlier in only two tests against New Zealand in 2013 Habibul Bashar scored 379 in the only other three match test series Bangladesh ever played against Pakistan in 2003  .

Mominul Haque joined six other batsmen in scoring 9 consecutive test matches fifties. His 1198 runs scored at an average of 63.05 in 22 innings of 12 tests has 11 fifty plus scores including four centuries. He is only behind the legend Sir Donald Bradman among players playing 20 test innings or more in test cricket. AD de Villiers (12),IVA Richards (11) ,Gautam Gambhir (11) ,Virendra Shewag (11), John Edrich (10), Sachin Tendulkar (10) are the only other players who are ahead of Mominul at this stage .He has opportunity to equal or even better their records .

At Chittagong test in the first Innings Bangladesh openers Tamim (109) and Imrul Kayes (130) scored centuries .This is a new record for Bangladesh openers scoring centuries in same innings of a test match. Putting up 224 runs together they bettered their own record of 185 that was scored at Lords Test against England in 2010.

Sakib scoring a century and taking 10 wickets at Khulna test inscribed his name alongside of Sir Ian Botham and legendary Imran Khan in the elite group of celebrated all rounders.

The white wash win of the test series has not only taken Bangladesh above Zimbabwe in the test ranking but also creating some gap. Bangladesh can now plan how to reach position eight or above. Next year some stronger teams like Australia and South Africa are due to visit Bangladesh. Our thought process of proving competitive against them must be in place soon.

With the Bashundhara Cement Test Series done and dusted team tiger now will play five matches ODI series .Inspiring Bangladesh leader Mashrafee and his squad must be biting their nails for repeating the feat of Mushfique Charges. Another series win and if possible another White Wash will create huge incentive for Bangladesh before the all-important ICC World Cup.

Looking back in retrospect Bangladesh can take a great hurt that it was not one or two players. Bangladesh now have a few match winners. Though Sakib, Mominul and Tamim were stand out performers Taijul, Jubair, Mahamudullah, Kayes also made significant contributions. There were impressive team efforts . It was great to see Bangladesh played consistently well over 5 days and 15 sessions in Khulna and Chittagong tests. It was reassuring that team learned to soak pressure and kept their positive focus going.

Watching talented Tamim applying himself in grinding and grafting for the cause of the team was refreshing. He proved yet again that form is temporary but the class is permanent .Little Mominul proved what a class act he is. Cool composed little Master of Bangladesh proved his great hunger for runs. He has already entered a very exclusive class of great Batsmen being the current leader of active test batsmen.

ICC top all-rounder Sakib Ul Hasan proved his indispensability in the team with superlative all round performances. He underscored why the harsh actions against him banning from playing in the Caribbean hurt Bangladesh badly. He is admired and adored all over cricket world. None of the present day cricket all-rounders can match his all-round performance in any format of the game.

We hope the issues of opening partnership will be resolved after Imrul Kayes finding his form. Anamul Huq and Shamsur Rahman will improve also. Middle order batting is in the safe hands of Mahamudullah, Mushfique and Shakib. There is every chance of Shubhgato developing into off spinning all-rounder.

We hope BCB will try to set up some pacey and bouncy wickets in some of the venues. Our batsmen still have some issues playing fast lifting deliveries on bouncy surfaces. We must play our domestic cricket on sporting wickets .Playing on slow low tracks all the time Bangladesh batsmen may not handle Chin Music that many top ranked international bowlers will target at them. Bangladesh also cannot grow more pacers of even Mashrafee class if they play on dull flat wickets.

Yesterday we were watching how Morne Morkel, Dayle Steyn and V Philander destroyed Australian batsmen on fast pacey WACA wicket at Perth. Bangladesh need to brash up their wickness against genuine pace bowling if they want to be competitive against all test teams on any wicket.

Bangladesh after a while has found a lethal spin bowling trio in Sakib –Taijul –Jubair . Taijul almost single handedly destroyed Zimbabweans at Dhaka test. He is ideal replacement for another great left arm spinner Abdur Razzak in the team. Teenage leggie is a new sensation. He has already proved his quality and class. This boy has a great future. If the track has turn and favors the spinners Bangladesh now has the weapons in their armory to trouble any team. It is also reassuring that bowlers like Arafat Sunny, Saqlain Sajeeb are also waiting on the wings .

Bangladesh also has to improve their fielding quite a bit .First test could get closer as Bangladesh dropped few vital catches. In the second test dropped Masakadza was given opportunity more than once .Against Zimbabwe we could get away, But against any other team Bangladesh cannot prove competitive unless they even grab half chances and get sharper in the field.

Bangladesh must not get complacent at all. Series white wash has created greater responsibility for each player for playing better, playing consistently well . Our target must be doing well in ICC World Cup. Our target must be reaching at number eight or better standing in ICC ranking as soon as possible .For that we cannot prescribe anything but continuous hard works and total commitment.