A deserving reward

The long wait is over. Bangladesh won a multi-nation tournament after six abortive attempts when they beat West Indies by five wickets at The Village in Dublin in an extraordinary final where the pendulum swung from one end to the other after rain intervened.

The rasping drive for four through the covers that Mahmudullah hit for the winning runs was icing on a proverbial celebratory cake that the Tigers had been preparing over their six previous attempts since 2009, somehow spoiled each time by their opponents.

The bitter memories of those near misses, marked by famously hysterical sobs, collective brain-freeze moments and emotional breakdowns that led to national catastrophe, transformed into a rainbow after rain for the Tigers in Malahide on Friday.

The success in their seventh attempt across the short formats of the game was more of a statement than just winning a tri-series final. It was a statement of consistency over the course of four years, a statement of evolving as a team under a true leader, where X-factors are not a big issue and a growing statement of youthful exuberance under the tutelage of the Big Five.

The win also served as a perfect build-up going into the World Cup, which starts on May 30. Although the fans are dreaming big after the tri-series win, a reality check is the need of the hour and would auger well for the Tigers to freely play good, hard cricket.

The next objective for the Tigers will be to play well in their two warm-up games against Pakistan and India on May 26 and 28 respectively before their opening World Cup fixture against South Africa at The Oval on June 6.

The best-case scenario would be to take one game at a time in their nine league matches. The batting looks primed to take the challenge of consistently hitting the 300-plus run mark, which promises to be a par score, if not quite safe, this English summer.

Yet, the biggest concern for the Tigers is that their bowling unit still left a lot to be desired. The challenge for the bowlers will be to take wickets in the first ten overs of the Powerplay to stymie the run rate, and also bowl smartly in the last overs when runs are expected to surge.

Bangladesh do not have a leg-spinner in their kitty. The Tigers are also running the risk of carrying one qualified left-arm spinner in Shakib Al Hasan, who missed the tri-series final due to a muscle spasm in his back. This might be a wake-up call for the Tigers thinktank to opt for a back-up left-arm spinner in a long league format.

Bangladesh also do not possess an express quick. Most of them are containers rather than aggressors, save Rubel Hossain. But the biggest headache for Bangladesh in the pace department has so far been the indifferent performances from Mustafizur Rahman.

The left-arm pacer, already famous for his slow cutters, has been struggling to regain his pace since a shoulder operation. He has been designed to take crucial wickets in the middle as well as to stop the avalanche of runs in the death overs.

The Tigers will be desperately looking for Mustafizur to return to his usual self by the time they take on South Africa and ‘The Fizz’ in rhythm will certainly hold the key to the Tigers winning more games than they lose in the league phase.

If they can do that the fans can only dream big. But at the moment the Tigers need to firmly put their feet on the ground before heading off to England to renew their World Cup ambitions, which ended in a quarterfinal defeat four years ago in Australia.

Bangladesh are back at the scene of prior conquests, the stadium nestled in the middle of Sophia Gardens in Cardiff. Now known as the Cardiff Wales Stadium, it is doubtful whether the former Sophia Gardens -- where they shocked Australia in 2005 and defeated New Zealand from a near hopeless position in 2017 -- will have enough inspiration to get them over the line against tournament favourites England in their World Cup match today.

Unlike yesterday, when the Tigers' practice session was reduced to an indoor one by incessant rain, the weather for the match starting at 10:30am (3:30pm Bangladesh time) is expected to be free from rain interruptions.

Both teams are coming into the match on the back of hard-fought losses. Bangladesh lost by two wickets to New Zealand at The Oval on Wednesday after being all out for a sub-par 244, and England fell 14 runs short of Pakistan's 348 for eight at Nottingham on Monday.

Other than their positive record at the ground, inspiration can also be drawn from the fact that the Tigers beat England in their last two World Cup games in 2011 and 2015. But it was the second loss that set England on the path to their current position of the team that plays lights-out cricket and aims to score 350-plus each time they walk out to bat.

That brand of cricket will make an interesting contrast to Bangladesh's. Before their opening match against South Africa, which they won by 21 runs, Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza talked about not chasing England's example and instead focusing on the brand that brought them success over the last four years. It is one more focused on building partnerships at a good rate, minimising risks with cricketing shots, taking singles rather than relying on big shots throughout the innings, and bowling as a unit to extract wickets through pressure. The bowling held up its end of the bargain against New Zealand, but the batting failed to deliver in all those aspects.

Even so, Mashrafe hinted that there are unlikely to be many changes to the eleven that played at The Oval unless conditions dictate otherwise.

"The plan is to change according to conditions, and I don't think so much change is going to help the team much," he said at the pre-match press conference. "But it depends, if it keep raining like this, we have to think about it. If not, then obviously, there is the management, as well. They will think about it. If someone will come with different plans, we will think about it."

England skipper Eoin Morgan talked about the possibility of playing an extra seamer by bringing in Liam Plunkett.

"Obviously another day where the wicket is under the covers, wickets that have been played on here so far have been a bit greener and probably seamer-friendly. So that's a potential, yeah," Morgan said.

The same move, bringing in Rubel Hossain, would be a brave one from Bangladesh. It was Rubel who won them the match against England in Adelaide with a four-wicket haul, but playing four seamers -- at the expense of off-spinner Mehedi Hasan Miraz -- would be to ignore that England are weaker against spin. The other change, after Bangladesh's lower middle order failed to fire against New Zealand, could be to bring in Sabbir Rahman for Mosaddek Hossain at number seven.

However, Mashrafe seems to place value on the part-time off-spin of Mosaddek especially as Mahmudullah Riyad is unable to bowl because of a shoulder injury.

Like against South Africa, and indeed against New Zealand, it may all come down to whether Bangladesh can play their brand of cricket successfully. Even that may not be enough against a rampant England and like Mashrafe said yesterday, with conditions and fan support favouring the hosts, the Tigers will have to be one step ahead and play better than their opposition today.

Bangladesh ODI skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza became the first ever active international cricketer to join parliament when he was elected from Narail-2 in the eleventh national election on Sunday.

Mashrafe, who was greeted by garlands from supporters after winning by a landslide, informed that although his new responsibilities will be quite demanding, his dedication to cricket will not be affected.

"I won't compromise anything when it comes to cricket till the World Cup. So I have the same cricketing mentality till then," said the charismatic captain.

Mashrafe has quite a busy schedule ahead as 2019 will begin with him leading defending champions Rangpur Riders in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) set to get underway on January 5. The right-arm pacer, who will return to Dhaka today, said that his focus will now shift to performing well in the BPL.

"The focus will be on that from tomorrow. However, as I always gave my best in my cricketing career, I will also try to replicate it while working here [Narail]."

ODI skipper Mashrafe will then travel to New Zealand for a three-ODI and three-match Test series against the hosts in February. The Tigers will then play an ODI tri-series against hosts Ireland and West Indies in May ahead of the World Cup in England from May 30.

For most of the Bangladesh team, the World Cup warm-up game against Pakistan being washed out in Cardiff yesterday was not a big setback, but for two cricketers it was an opportunity missed to stake a claim for a spot in the playing eleven when the Tigers square off against South Africa in their World Cup opener on June 2.

It was a twist of fate that the team management decided to send those two players to the mixed media zone to have a few words with reporters soon after the match was abandoned. Mosaddek Hossain grabbed his place in the spotlight by hitting an unbeaten 24-ball 52 in the tri-series final against West Indies in Dublin on May 17, the day the Tigers won their maiden ODI multi-team trophy. In that rain-curtailed final, he performed the role that is expected of Sabbir Rahman, who after scoring his maiden international century in the third ODI in New Zealand did not get enough opportunities to prove his worth in Ireland.

"Today's match was important for me," Sabbir, who played a grand total of 10 balls over four matches in Ireland, said. "Now the next match [the second warm-up against India on Tuesday] is important. It is disappointing that the match did not take place, but the team is in good shape, as am I. I am practising on wickets that are similar to the ones that the matches will be played on."

He could, however, not be drawn into commenting on the possible competition with Mosaddek. "I have always played in hard situations, taking up the challenge. This time too it won't be easy, but I will try to do what I must do and give my best. I always feel that it is my last match, and I try to give my all from that mindset."

Mosaddek, who was one of the surprise inclusions in the World Cup squad, said that it was not about competing with Sabbir.

"I am not thinking about it that way," he said. "I will try my best, but I don't want to come into the team because someone else did poorly. The Bangladesh team comes first. If I get my chance I will try to do well.

"We are coming off a good series in Ireland, so one match not taking place because of rain is not too disappointing. Today I didn't get the chance, but there is a match against India and in that game we will prepare well and head to the World Cup."

As things stand with Mahmudullah Riyad's shoulder injury, Mosaddek has as good a chance as Sabbir of making the cut in order to bowl a few useful overs of off-spin. "These conditions are difficult for spinners because there is not much turn on offer. But I will try to minimise runs and keep the batsmen in check.

When Mahmudullah Riyad hit the biggest six of the match, a 95-metre straight hit off Adam Zampa in the 42nd over, and Mushfiqur Rahim neared his seventh ODI ton, it was easy to wonder what could have been had Australia been held to 30 runs fewer. After a 48-run loss, individual milestone and a spirited chase aside, Bangladesh were left having to win all three of their remaining matches and needing some other results to go their way to have a chance of making the World Cup semifinals.

It was a strong display from the batsmen as the top order fired and carried the Tigers to 333 for eight when skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza holed out to deep midwicket off the last ball of the match. However, it was Bangladesh’s bowling shortcomings and a superb -- if lucky -- 166 from Australian opener David Warner that made the difference as Australia first piled on 381 for six on a flat track in Trent Bridge.

While Australia take top spot with five wins and one loss, Bangladesh remain in sixth position with five points from six matches.

Bangladesh’s batting responded well to the Herculean task with Tamim Iqbal scoring his first half-century of this edition. After a mix-up saw fellow opener Soumya Sarkar being run out in the fourth over, Tamim put on a 79-run stand with Shakib Al Hasan. The plan, as Tamim later revealed, was to lose as few wickets as possible and get to 180 to 200 after 30 overs and then give it a go. However, against a well-oiled Australian attack, the Tigers lost wickets just when they were getting a hold on the match. Shakib departed for his first sub-50 score of the World Cup in the 19th over, caught off a leading edge off Marcus Stoinis. After scoring 62 off 74 balls, Tamim himself departed when he was bowled by Mitchell Starc off an inside edge, trying to dab a ball to third man in the 25th over.

Liton Das, who scored 94 in Bangladesh’s clinical win over West Indies, was trapped leg before by Zampa for 20 in the 30th over and at 175 for four, all hope seemed to be lost. But a 127-run fifth-wicket stand between Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur in just 96 balls would have made the strong Bangladesh contingent in Trent Bridge rue the untimely dismissals and, most of all, the profligate bowling in the last 10 overs. Mahmudullah hit five fours and three big sixes in a 50-ball 68 before being caught at the square leg fence off Nathan Coulter-Nile in the 46th over. Sabbir Rahman, playing his first match of the edition in place of the injured Mosaddek Hossain, departed for a golden duck next ball and Mehedi Hasan Miraz also fell cheaply, but by that time the interest surrounded whether Mushfiqur would bring up his ton.

He did complete a fine century -- marked by trademark reverse sweeps against Zampa and cuts against the Aussie quicks -- and ended unbeaten on 102 off 97 balls with nine fours and a six.

Earlier, Bangladesh’s bowling suffered from a lack of penetration in the first 30 overs, bad execution in the next 10 before a mixture of both those failings and Australia’s brilliance realised 131 runs in the last 10 overs. With his 16th century and sixth 150-plus score in ODIs, Warner made Bangladesh pay a heavy price for giving him a life early on, when he was on 10 and Sabbir Rahman dropped a difficult chance at backward point off the bowling of Mashrafe Bin Mortaza in the fifth over.

Apart from that, and a missed run out chance -- also by Sabbir -- in the 26th over when the batsman was on 72, Warner played the perfectly paced innings, concentrating on singles interspersed with the odd boundary for the first 35 overs or so, when Bangladesh’s bowling retained some discipline and adherence to plans. Warner reached his 100 off 110 balls and scored his next 66 runs in just 37 deliveries before becoming part-time bowler Soumya Sarkar’s second victim in the 45th over. The score, at the fall of the second wicket after a 192-run partnership with Usman Khawaja, was 313. Given Bangladesh’s strong reply, a win could have been possible if Australia were kept to within 350, but Glenn Maxwell played an electric cameo of 32 off 10 balls as 60 runs came off the last five overs.

The start had been disciplined enough from Bangladesh after they were asked to field first as Mashrafe and Mustafizur Rahman kept Australia to 47 without loss after nine overs, and six runs from Shakib’s first over saw them concede a respectable 53 without loss in the first five overs. However, Shakib suffered a rare off day with the ball, which meant that he could not play the vital role of keeping a lid on the scoring in conjunction with Mehedi Hasan Miraz, who bowled his 10 overs on the trot and was Bangladesh’s most economical bowler, conceding 59 runs. With little pressure being built from either end, Warner and skipper Aaron Finch built a 121-run opening stand. Against the run of play, Finch was caught at short third man in the 21st over, Soumya’s first, off a ball that bounced more than the right-hander expected. The left-handed Khawaja came in instead of Steven Smith, presumably to negate the left-arm spin of Shakib and, helped by a few long hops, they did exactly that.

Sabbir was again the culprit when he missed a chance to run Warner, then on 72, out as he failed to collect the ball at mid on while the two batsmen were undecided about going for a run.

Still, on a belter of a wicket, Bangladesh managed to stay with the Aussies for much of the innings. The run rate went past the six-per-over mark only in the 38th over, when Rubel Hossain conceded 12 runs. It was then that the carnage started, and was magnified by Maxwell before he was run out with a direct hit from Rubel at short third man. Soumya added the wicket of Khawaja, caught behind off an attempted hook for 89 in the 47th over. There was a 25-minute rain break when Australia were 368 for five after 49 overs, but it did no change anything as Mustafizur’s last over was taken for 13 after resumption.