When at war, kill or be killed: Mushfiqur

The morning of September 29 must have broken with some harsh light for the Bangladesh cricketers in Dubai and their loyal fans back home. It was much the same on March 23, 2012, when the Asia Cup final against Pakistan was lost in the final ball in Mirpur the night before. But as time wore on in 2012, the pain of defeat gave way to a feeling of accomplishment born from the feeling that Bangladesh cricket had finally broken through and had defeated all but one of their more celebrated neighbours before falling at the final hurdle.

On Friday night, the pain of failure at the final hurdle in the final ball -- this time against India -- haunted the cricketers and cricket lovers once again. Like 2012, this pain too shall pass but there will be a different sense of accomplishment from Asia Cup 2018.

Defeating Sri Lanka in the opener, then Afghanistan and Pakistan in must-win games may sound par for the course for the team fans have come to know since 2012. However, winning two of those matches without talismanic opener Tamim Iqbal and the one against Pakistan without both Tamim and ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan is not something that would have been expected. Making the final in the kind of heat they had never experienced before and doing it with setbacks that would have crippled Bangladesh sides of the past marks a new level.

To accomplish that, young players who were part of the support cast -- Liton Das and Mohammad Mithun -- and those who were leaders in waiting but often seemed to need a helping hand -- Mustafizur Rahman and Mehedi Hasan Miraz -- came to the fore. That, and the tremendous fighting spirit shown by the Tigers throughout the two-week long event -- not least in taking India's chase of 222 down to the final ball on Friday -- will be Bangladesh's biggest takeaway.

"Everyone may think about the 2012 Asia Cup final, but I see it a little differently," Bangladesh opener Tamim had said on September 13, two days before the tournament opener against Sri Lanka in Dubai. "The 2012 Asia Cup was the tournament where we first got the belief that we could beat any team -- that we could be competitive.

"I remember that; not my four fifties or how we lost the final by two runs. I remember how we played as a team and beat teams that no one would have thought we could beat. We beat India and Sri Lanka, and lost two very competitive matches against Pakistan."

Little did Tamim know then that it was his injury two days later, which forced him to fly out of the Asia Cup and back home, that would contribute to this tournament being remembered as the next big step for Bangladesh after 2012.

Since 2012, Bangladesh's graph has trended upward, with occasional dips. But a common feature of that rise has been the people doing the heavy lifting. Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah Riyad have been the five cricketers who have worked wonders for Bangladesh cricket over much of the last decade.

But this Asia Cup was a departure from the norm because the Bangladesh team do not often do well with setbacks, especially when they have to fight with those setbacks against oppositions perceived to be superior. That happened in this tournament too -- losing the last group game against Afghanistan and the first Super Four match against India in abject fashion were a function of them struggling to overcome the setbacks of losing Tamim, scheduling confusions and having to play three matches in four days in 40-plus degree heat.

The recovery, and the architects of the recovery, will be the source of inspiration for future campaigns. While it is true that there was magical captaincy from Mashrafe, he still had to rely on opener Imrul Kayes to fly in on Saturday night and score a match-winning fifty against Afghanistan on Sunday from number six, rescuing the side in partnership with Mahmudullah from 87 for five. Faced with non-performing opening pairs, Mashrafe took the wildcard decision to open with number eight batsman Mehedi in the final, but the youngster still had to show the courage to be a part of a 120-run opening stand with a sublime Liton. For his part, Liton was the one who had to repay his captain's continued faith, and he did so with a maiden century in the most important game of the tournament.

Mushfiqur was Bangladesh's best batsman in the tournament with scores of 144 in the opening game and 99 against Pakistan. In both those innings, however, Mithun was an indispensable foil with innings of 63 and 60 in century-plus partnerships that rescued Bangladesh from top-order collapses. 

In each of Bangladesh's three wins in the tournament, someone other than the Big Five stepped up and took responsibility. The bowlers, led by Mashrafe, Mustafizur and Mehedi, were consistent throughout and the spirited fielding was the flag-bearer of the team's never-say-die spirit.

 "The positives depend on the individuals. I think losing to India twice was something that I didn't desire. When Shakib and Tamim are back, the team will do well in the future if we can hold on to this spirit," Mashrafe said after the match.

There will certainly be heartbroken fans who will rue another missed opportunity, another last-ball failure. But this tournament showed that the ingredients long craved for outside the Big Five are very much present and the work in progress is waiting for completion with the return of the two big stalwarts.

The takeaway from this latest heartbreak is that it will just be a matter of time before bittersweet gives way to unadulterated joy.

Bangladesh speedster Taskin Ahmed made an instant impact on his return to Test cricket after 14 months as he came up with a sensational bowling performance on the second day of the second Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi yesterday. 

Taskin finished with 3-57, helping his side bowl out the hosts for 274 runs in their first innings within a day after the game finally started on the Day 2 after the opening day's play got washed out.

Taskin had taken a break from the longer-format earlier this year citing injury issues but after the end of the last ICC T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA, he changed his mind and made himself available for selection for the Pakistan Test series.

The selection panel also showed faith on the experienced pacer as they picked him for the second Test squad but before that, they wanted to see how Taskin fared in the longer-version.

And for that, they played him in the second four-day match against Pakistan Shaheens where he bowled 15 overs and also dismissed Imam-ul-Haq in the first ball of his opening spell.

Similarly, the 29-year-old, who previously played 13 Tests since his debut in this format in 2017, tasted success almost immediately, going through the defences of Pakistani opener Abdullah Shafique with a splendid in-swinger in the last ball of the first over of the game after Bangladesh chose to field first.

Taskin, who came in as a replacement for the injured Shoriful Islam, set up Shafique brilliantly as he bowled his first five deliveries outside off, moving away from the batter, before finally pitching the ball on a good length and bringing it back sharply into the batter, hitting the top of off-stump.

"That wicket [Shafique's] was really enjoyable for me. First, I set him up with away moving ones and then in the last one I brought it back into him. That was intentional," Taskin told the reporters in the press meet after the end of the second day's play.

Taskin didn't get any more successes in his first spell where he bowled four overs but kept the pressure on Shan Masood and Saim Ayub, who went on to score fifties, and when he came back to bowl his next two spells, he carried on from where he had left off.

At one time, Saud Shakeel, the middle-order batter who scored a hundred in the opening Test, hit him for back-to-back boundaries. But Taskin had the last laugh, as he knocked over Shakeel's stumps in the same over to send him back to the pavilion.

Bangladesh kept taking wickets at regular intervals from the second session onwards. With Pakistan quickly running out of wickets, Salman Agha, the No.7 batter, decided to try and hit some boundaries against the second new ball and smashed Taskin for two sixes in consecutive overs.

Taskin, however, kept baiting Salman, who made 54, into going for big shots and eventually his plan worked as the batter mishit a pull shot and got caught at fine leg by Shakib Al Hasan and Mehedi Hasan Miraz soon wrapped up the innings by completing his 10th five-for in Tests.

"Overall, our bowling unit has done really well. We could have done better. I'm working on everything, as I have been playing for a long time, to adapt to the format quickly. It's my responsibility as an experienced and senior bowler.

"We have to bat really well. We have to comeback well in the second innings. Nothing is over yet but it was a good day for us which could have been even better."

Bangladesh batter Liton Das said it was time for the right-handed batter to take responsibility for his game.  

The 29-year-old made his Bangladesh debut in 2015 and nine years into his international career, he still blows hot and cold and struggles to become a dependable batter for the Tigers across formats.  

"I've been playing [international] cricket for 9-10 years now. I've gained that much experience. Now is the time to take responsibility. If not now, then when will I take responsibility?" Liton told reporters on Tuesday at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium where the Tigers trained ahead of their India tour, starting September 19.

Liton played a pivotal role in Bangladesh's historic Test series win in Pakistan with a match-winning 138-run knock in the second Test of the two-match series. From a disastrous plight that saw the visitors lose six wickets for just 26 on the board, Liton propelled his side to a stable position with a patient knock, notching up his fourth Test ton in the process. In the first Test, he scored a half-century and led a counterpunch against the Pakistan bowlers, helping Bangladesh to a take a lead.

Criticism has followed Liton throughout his career and it was not long ago that the merit of his selection was brought into question in the white-ball formats. Very few can forget the manner of his dismissal in a hattrick of failed scoops in a T20I against Zimbabwe at home in May or the rush of blood that saw him dance down the pitch and gift his wicket away while Bangladesh were trying to save a Test against Sri Lanka in March.

Liton has established himself amongst fans and perhaps even the management as a supremely talented batter who blows hot and cold but there is little doubt about his ability and the fine batsmanship he can dish out on his day. His stroke-making compounded with the ease with which he can execute his batting has always set him apart from the rest but the inconsistent application of all that promise is what has always disappointed his admirers.

His recklessness or a lack of responsibility in the white-ball formats has not, however, seeped into his performance in Tests. Since 2020, he has scored the second-most runs amongst designated wicket-keepers, amassing 1559 runs at an average of 48.71. Only Pakistan's Mohammad Rizwan has scored more in that time frame.

When asked about his attacking stroke-playing ability, Liton said it was no different from how the rest of the world plays their cricket. With the India series up next, Liton will have to be at his best to tackle one of the best bowling units in the world.

"I don't play that much of attacking cricket. I try to score off the balls in the scoring zones. And you will see that run-scoring is very important in any format. There comes a flow in your batting when you play for a run each ball. 

"I think the way I bat is in sync with how everyone across the world plays; They play the game with an attacking mood. Naturally, there are more attacking field setups in Test cricket and the probability of getting out is higher, but at the same time, the scope to score is also greater," Liton said.

Bangladesh are set to play two Tests and three T20Is against India, starting with the first Test on September 19. 

The Tigers, who play with the Kookaburra ball, will face the challenge of playing with the SG ball in India. The SG ball has a more pronounced seam which helps spinner grip the ball better after it gets old. It also allows the pacers to use the seam better while trying to initiate swing with the old ball.

"The India series will be challenging for us. For preparation, we are facing our main bowlers [at the nets] as much as possible. 

"It will be difficult because with the Kookaburra ball, it is tough when the ball is new and it gets easier when the balls gets old. But with the SG ball, it is a bit easier when it's new and difficult when it's old," Liton said. 

It still feels surreal that Bangladesh have won their first-ever Test series against Pakistan 2-0 and that too on Pakistan soil.

The Tigers scripted the epic with a six-wicket win in the second and final Test in Rawalpindi yesterday, a week after their 10-wicket triumph in the opening Test at the same venue.

The watershed moment came when Bangladesh, set 185 for a memorable series sweep, reached the target in the fifth afternoon, with Shakib Al Hasan (21 not out) hitting the winning runs -- a boundary down the covers off leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed.

Mushfiqur Rahim, who struck a monumental 191 in the first Test, was at the other end unbeaten on 22.

If the first Test win was a statement of perseverance from the Tigers, the second Test was a captivating story of coming back from a precipice to the pinnacle, something witnessed very rarely in the history of Test cricket.

Reduced to a hopeless 26-6 in their first innings on the third morning in reply to Pakistan's 274, Bangladesh appeared to be in a similar situation of throwing up a good initiative they had done many times before.

However, a record 165-run stand between Liton Das and Mehedi Hasan Miraz for the seventh wicket irrevocably turned the game on its head before the pace trio of Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana, and Taskin Ahmed put Bangladesh in pole position to win the game from the jaws of an embarrassing defeat.

In a rare demonstration of aggressive pace and swing bowing, which has been a hallmark of their more illustrious opposition, the pace trio shared all Pakistan wickets for 172 runs. Hasan was the wrecker-in-chief with 5-43.

Lanky right-arm pacer Nahid was a treat to watch with his pace and precision. The 21-year-old had top batters like Babar Azam, Shan Masood, and Saud Shakeel nibbling at those short-pitched deliveries to finish with 4-44.

Taskin took the other wicket to make sure Bangladesh pacers took all 10 opposition wickets in a Test innings for the first time.

The series win against Pakistan will go down as the best achievement for the Tigers in the longest format for not just the weight of the opposition, but also for the positive changes in mindset and improvements in all three departments of the game.

The biggest change is the coming of age of a pace bowling unit capable of putting sustained pressure. While Nahid provides raw pace, Hasan has that uncanny ability to move the ball both ways. With Taskin and Shoriful Islam, who missed the second Test due to a niggle, providing depth and Ebadot Hossain on a recovery trail, Bangladesh's pace unit appears to have turned into an important cog in an otherwise historically spin-dominated attack.

The shining light of the series was all-rounder Miraz. Coming in to bat at number eight, he featured in two match-winning partnerships -- 196 runs for the seventh wicket with Mushfiqur in the first Test where he scored 77, and 165 with Liton in the second Test where his contribution was 78.

Miraz finished with a series haul of 10 wickets and deservedly won the player of the series award.

An ageless Muhsfiqur provided that solidity in the middle-order with the bat. His 191 in the first Test was a masterclass from a master batter.
Liton has also lived up to his potential as a true successor to Mushfiqur. His 138 in the second Test might not be full of beans, but an innings of maturity under pressure.

The ground fielding, apart from those four dropped catches, was excellent and the fitness level of players in four gruelling days under scorching heat was commendable.

In the two Tests, Bangladesh were certainly the better side.

However, going into their next assignment later this month against India, the Tigers still have some areas to improve on, especially with the top-order batting.

Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto has been going through a lean patch with the bat and so has been Mominul Hoque, whose best in the series has been a half-century. Besides, against the quality attack of India, the openers Shadman Islam and Zakir Hasan need to come up with a more compact defence to give Bangladesh solidity at the top.

Though Shakib was brilliant with the ball, he struggled with the bat. He was having some issues with his left eye [Central Serous Chorioretinopathy] and it was quite noticeable while he was batting and fielding. The team management needs to look into this issue considering the fact that Shakib bats in a key position for the team.

Despite having areas for improvement and the obvious challenges going forward, this series victory will further the confidence of the team that they can be competitive in the most demanding format of the game, not just at home but also away from home.