Ravenous Rubel

Sarfraz Ahmed, the Pakistan captain, took the blame for his team's poor show at the Asia Cup, but said that there's time to rebuild the team for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019.

A convincing eight-wicket win over Hong Kong in the tournament opener suggested Pakistan were going to be a force. But it was followed by an eight-wicket defeat to India, and then, following a last-over win over Afghanistan in the Super Fours, losses to India and Bangladesh. As a result, Pakistan crashed out of the tournament they have won twice in the past.

"Yes, our performance was very poor. Our batting wasn't good, and we dropped a lot of catches. Our bowling was also patchy, and that's the reason we are out of the tournament," accepted Ahmed, who had a poor run with the bat himself, scoring 68 runs in four innings.

"I still believe we have a lot of talented players in the team. Look at Fakhar Zaman. Though he didn't have a good tournament, we have to back him. Babar Azam too. Imam has, thankfully, done well, but there's also Shadab and Hasan. We have to back them and take them along with us. We have to look at our bench too. We have a pool of players, and by the time the World Cup comes, we'll have a good team," said Ahmed.

"The World Cup is quite some time away, we have other engagements before that. Australia are coming, and then there's New Zealand. So we have to review our performance and see where we are falling short.

"We are losing too many wickets early, and the middle order has had to deal with the new ball, which isn't easy, and hitting quickly in the end isn't easy on these pitches. We'll have to get together and fix these issues."

While Ahmed called the performance 'alarming', he added, "There's no need to press the panic button. Yes, we have made mistakes as a team, and as a captain, I know that I didn't do well. But no need to panic, we need to back the players, look at the positions and see if there are people outside the team who can come in."

World Cup-winning teams may have their names written in the annals of history, but World Cup-winning captains have a special place in those books. Clive Lloyd will forever be remembered for leading the West Indies to back-to-back World Cup in the first two editions of the tournament and Kapil Dev will be equally remembered for leading an unfancied India to unprecedented glory four years later.

Each of those names -- the others being Allan Border, Imran Khan, Arjuna Ranatunga, Steve Waugh, Ricky Ponting, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Michael Clarke -- are all remembered as among the best talents that their countries have ever produced.

Cricket is perhaps the only team sport where such esteem is attached to the captain, who has to pick, choose and employ bowlers, set fields and play a large part in deciding the strategy and playing elevens of a team.

The 2019 World Cup presents an opportunity for another to cement their place among the greatest names in cricket, and there are many deserving candidates. India's Virat Kohli, Bangladesh's Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, New Zealand's Kane Williamson are perhaps the most befitting of such 'icon status', but there are seven others who will be desperate to lift the cup and write their names in the pages of history, regardless the strength of their team.

At the only World Cup where Test-playing nations have missed out, nobody is around just to make up the numbers.

Mashrafe Bin Mortaza has already made a solid case as Bangladesh's best-ever captain. Not only have the Tigers seen their meteoric rise in ODI cricket under his leadership, the Narail Express has become so popular that he will represent his country in an altogether different sense in the United Kingdom: as a member of parliament.

His humble nature, quirks and mannerisms and even the way he has overcome injuries throughout his career have made him one of the most beloved personalities in Bangladesh sport, and he has continued that by leading a side not through performances -- although there have been many -- but through his approach. The 35-year-old, playing in his last World Cup, has been the source of all inspiration for his teammates, young and old. And that attitude has reflected on his teammates and the positivity with which they approach each game.

At the other end of the spectrum is Kane Williamson. His approach to the game has always been stoic, almost robotic. He knows what to do and exactly when to do it and his team's approach is a far-cry from the all-guns-blazing mentality that had been instilled and perfected four years ago by Brendon McCullum. Williamson's teams are not lacking in firepower, far from it, but their demeanour on the field is always a portrait of calm. He has been captain for over three years now and has got to grips with the job, something that he seems to be able to do regardless of circumstance.

Then there is Virat Kohli. One of the finest players in the world and almost always ranked as the best in ODI cricket, the Indian still finds himself under fire for his captaincy. There are murmurs that he does not put the team before himself, whispers that his 'egotistical nature' are detrimental to team spirit and all but confirmed rumours that coach Anil Kumble was let go after a row with Kohli. His horrid stint as captain of the Royal Challengers Bangalore in this season's Indian Premier League has only added fuel to the fire.

Although there are many, perhaps valid, question about Kohli's tactical nous -- there are bound to be when you following up Dhoni -- the 30-year-old can, and has, led from the front like nobody else. He is the world's best when it comes to chasing down targets and, as he said at the captain's media day ahead of the World Cup, his marriage has turned him into "a more responsible person" who has "started understanding things much better and started putting things into perspective a lot more". Whether that perspective can help him on the pitch will be the main factor standing between India and the World Cup.

However, Kohli is not the only captain that is under so much pressure. There is another, often maligned in his country for his roots: Eoin Morgan. The Ireland-born England captain has been a key component alongside coach Trevor Bayliss in revolutionising the way cricket is played by the national side; from a meek, defensive approach to an attacking brand with such ruthlessness that they are talking about hitting the 500-run mark in 50-over cricket.

That does not mean Morgan's entire plan revolves around going out and trying to blast teams out of the ground, something many feel McCullum was guilty of -- especially after the 2015 World Cup final. Morgan has an amazing grasp of the tactics of the game, and that will certainly come into play at some point as the team chase their maiden World Cup glory.

Another captain who leads from the front is Faf du Plessis. The South African took over from AB de Villiers and although those are big shoes to fill, his close friendship with Mr 360 saw him inherit a wealth of that experience. Du Plessis' calm demeanour under pressure, consistency, and wealth of experience will be key to the South African cause and perhaps, under his captaincy, they can finally shed the 'chokers' tag.

The team that are quite opposite of 'chokers' will also feature a new captain. Aaron Finch will be leading Australia at the World Cup, a short while after successfully, in tandem with coach Justin Langer, leading the team out of the dredges of 'sandpaper-gate'. He has not had much time to prove his abilities as skipper, but a 3-2 series win against India in India -- that too without Steve Smith and David Warner -- has certainly shown that he has been doing things right. He will hope to continue with the softer, toned-down approach when the pressure mounts, but also hope that results go in favour of the perennial favourites.

Even among the unfancied teams, there are tenured, winning captains in the form of Sarfraz Ahmed and Jason Holder.

Sarfraz played only two of Pakistan's six matches at the last World Cup but his performances solidified his place in the team. He scored 49 off 49 and took 6 catches as wicketkeeper to equal the ODI record for most dismissals with six before hitting an unbeaten 101 against Ireland. In February 2017, he assumed captaincy of the ODI side and he would prove his credentials months later, leading Pakistan to glory in the ICC Champions Trophy.

On the other hand, Holder was the one who stuck by his nation's side when at a time when franchise cricket had pulled out almost all of its international stars. He found himself thrust into captaincy a year after his international debut and the 27-year-old remained steadfast despite being the youngest captain in West Indies' history. He also led his side to the quarterfinals of the 2015 World Cup, an achievement rarely anyone had expected.

There are also two among the unknowns.

Asghar Afghan was replaced at the last moment by the Afghanistan Cricket Board and Gulbadin Naib was installed as captain, a decision that drew nationwide furore and even led to players expressing their displeasure publicly. Rashid Khan expressed his disappointment on Twitter while Mohammad Nabi also aired his grievances. Even Naib admitted: "Asghar Afghan is still my captain. We played our last few games against Ireland and Scotland, and he helped me a lot. He guided me. He's not just another player for me, he's still my captain right now."

Finally, there are Sri Lanka and their captain Dimuth Karunaratne. It was a shock decision when he was appointed since he had not played an ODI since 2015. However, selectors were impressed by him leading The Islanders to a Test series win against South Africa. His qualities in the ODI game may not translate as well, but his ability to handle himself under pressure will surely prove a valuable commodity.

These are the 10 that will be expected to lead from the front, with 10 others behind each of them. However, only one will have the chance to not only cement their names as a bonafide legend of their country, but also write their name in the pages of history.

There was not much time for Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza to celebrate an opening win that seemed unlikely when the fixtures were confirmed before he had to make his way to the post-match press conference. It was enough time for the captain to get his game face on and face the media and remind the fans that the 21-run win over South Africa at The Oval yesterday was just one game.

Mustafizur Rahman then took three for 67 as Bangladesh won the match by 21 runs. Photo: AFP

"After the win, there's nothing much to say. Everyone is happy," Mashrafe said. "We are seeing every other team as bigger than us, so we are more focused on our own game. We don't want to be too excited. We just have two points so far. We have to beat big teams if we want to do well in this tournament."

Bangladesh had come into the World Cup as among the best-prepared teams. On May 17 they won their first multi-team ODI trophy by beating West Indies in the final of the tri-series in Ireland. However, on Saturday, he said that it would be best to forget about that result before starting their World Cup campaign.

Yesterday’s World Cup encounter between Bangladesh and South Africa was the perfect platform for the world’s number one ODI all-rounder, Shakib Al Hasan, to showcase his skills. The left-hander did just that, registering 75 runs, his personal best against the Proteas, when it mattered. He strung a record 142-run third wicket partnership with Mushfiqur Rahim before coming back with the ball and removing the dangerous Aiden Markram, and in the process becoming the fastest man to 250 wickets and 5000 runs in ODIs. The ace all-rounder also took a diving catch to dismiss Andile Phehlukawo o help Bangladesh win the match by 21 runs. Photo: AFP

"I think we should forget about today's game now," was his message yesterday too. "We have to plan for the match against New Zealand, and try to execute it properly. Even if we lost this match, it would not have made a difference for the game against New Zealand. This win will give us confidence, but more challenges await us, especially for our batsmen."

The batsmen were the stars of the day as each of the top seven -- from opener Soumya Sarkar's 30-ball 42, Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim's innings-shaping 142-run third-wicket stand, Mohammad Mithun's cameo of a run-a-ball 21 to the 66-run sixth-wicket stand in just 41 balls from Mahmudullah Riyad and Mosaddek Hossain at the end -- contributed to setting up a total that was too good for South Africa.

Then the bowlers bowled as a group, with Mustafizur Rahman leading the way with three for 67, Mehedi Hasan Miraz performing the defensive spinner's role to perfection with economical figures of 44 for one from 10 overs and Shakib picking his 250th wicket during another economical spell of one for 50 from 10. Having asked the previous day for a concerted effort, and stressing that that was Bangladesh's strength and modus operandi, Mashrafe could not help but bask in the satisfaction of his team executing to such a high level.

"This is the team we are. We mostly win when everyone contributes. Once most of our players step up, there's a good possibility to win the matches. I think we have been lucky, and played so well."

It was not long before he pulled things back. When asked whether this was their best World Cup performance, he was not ready to go so far.

"We played well in 2007, and did well in a few matches in 2011. If you are taking about specific matches I don't think this is our best win. But it wasn't easy for us in these conditions, playing in England. It is one of our best performances, and I loved the way we played today. It won't happen everyday, I am sure, but I would love it if we could."

He singled Soumya out for special praise after the opener followed three successive fifties win Ireland with a dominant 42 yesterday.

"He does something out of the box," Mashrafe said. "We give him a lot of freedom as well. Play your shots and express yourself as much as you can. He is doing so well since the Ireland tri-series. In the practice match against India, he was the one who took them on. Hopefully his confidence will keep going. He has to adjust to the swinging ball. I hope his consistency stays."

When South Africa captain Faf du Plessis won the toss and elected to field, a few of the more faint-hearted nature feared that Bangladesh may suffer a fate similar to their sub-continental neighbours, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. But the Tigers blew those fears away with the kind of batting that they have been displaying more often than not since their rise in the last World Cup four years ago.

In what was their opening World Cup match after four years at The Oval in London, the Tigers stroked their way to 330 for six -- their best effort in ODI cricket and also the highest innings total in this World Cup so far.

South Africa needed to create history to win the game -- no team batting second in a World Cup match have ever toppled a score of 330 -- and, although the Proteas tried their best in a pulsating encounter, they eventually fell 22 runs short of the target.

It was nice to hear one of the commentators remark after Bangladesh had clinched the game that it was not an upset, but a deserving reward for an up-and-coming Tigers. His statement was not something out of context but recognition of the progress the Tigers have made so far.

That progress was reflected in every facet of the game, in which the South Africans tried with all their resources to put a pause to.

The Tigers were not scared of the famed South African pace attack. They did not falter against short-pitched deliveries like Pakistan had against the West Indies a couple of days ago when the former champions were shot out for 105. Nor did they stumble against a quality pace attack as Sri Lankan had done against New Zealand when they were bundled out for 136.

They counterattacked with such authority that it forced Du Plessis to opt for alternative options. Young opener Soumya Sarkar set the tone for a very good total with a sublime 42 off 32 balls. The way the left-hander batted against the express pace of Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi was a spectator’s delight. It was not his raucous pull shots or exquisite cover drives, but the world of time he got that mesmerized fans most. He is increasingly becoming an asset at the top of the order for Bangladesh.

And opponents beware! If he could play longer innings it would have a devastating impact.

It was also a game where Bangladesh arguably showed that they were one of the few good teams who know how to construct an innings. The third-wicket partnership of 142 between Shakib Al Hasan (75) and Mushfiqur Rahim (78) was the product of a professional approach that involved minimum risk.

Unfortunately, what is still holding the Tigers back from going to championship material from pretenders was the inability of both Shakib and Mushfiqur to turn those big scores into big hundreds. Both were dismissed at a time when Bangladesh were looking capable of posting a total beyond 350.

But despite their departure, Bangladesh prospered in the last five overs thanks to another display of professional batting from Mahmudullah, who scored an unbeaten 46 off 33 balls. Mahmudullah found a perfect ally in young batsman Mosaddek Hossain (26 off 20 balls), who repaid the faith of the team management for his selection as the number seven batsman ahead of Sabbir Rahman.

The job was still half-done and the Tigers knew that South Africa would come in all-guns blazing. They did come hard and in patches appeared to have tilted the balance in their favour. But a disciplined Bangladesh bowling attack held their nerve despite some sloppy catching. Soumya dropped Miller and Mahmudullah also reacted late while attempting to grab a top-edge from the left-hander at the backward point boundary. Mushfiqur Rahim somehow amended a dropped catch by running out a confused Quinton de Kock with a direct hit.

You can win a few games with those missed chances, but you cannot win tournaments. Regardless, it was a dream start for the Tigers. The onus is now on them to disprove former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum’s prediction that they can’t win more than one game at this World Cup.