‘May have to rethink our strategy’

Rohit Sharma became the first player to hit five centuries in a single World Cup as India cantered to a seven-wicket win in their final World Cup group match against Sri Lanka yesterday.

The opener smashed 103 off 94 deliveries as semifinalists India chased down their target of 265 in 43.3 overs to end the group stage with seven wins, one defeat and a washout.

Sharma’s opening partner KL Rahul top-scored with 111 as the pair put on 189 runs for the first wicket to put India in complete command.

Man-of-the-match Sharma reached his milestone with a boundary off Kasun Rajitha to pass the mark set by Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara, who scored four hundreds at the 2015 tournament.

His century came off 92 balls, with 14 fours and two sixes.

Sharma was dismissed shortly afterwards, caught by Angelo Mathews off the bowling of Rajitha.

Known as the “hitman”, Sharma leads the current World Cup’s run-scoring charts with 647 runs in eight matches after hitting his third successive century.

“I’m just trying to go out there and do my job, I’m not thinking of milestones,” Sharma said.

“If I play well these things will happen on the way.

“I have learned from my mistakes in the past. I don’t go into a match thinking of hundreds. Every day is a new day.”

He is only the fourth batsman after Sachin Tendulkar, Matthew Hayden and Shakib Al Hasan to score more than 600 runs at a single World Cup.

Tendulkar, India’s all-time record run-scorer in one-day internationals, tweeted his praise for Sharma.

“3 consecutive 100s and 5 in a single @cricketworldcup is just phenomenal, Rohit,” Tendulkar wrote.

Rahul registered his first century of the tournament but was caught behind shortly before the end of the game off veteran paceman Lasith Malinga -- playing his final World Cup match -- after hitting 11 fours and one six.

Skipper Virat Kohli remained unbeaten on 34 and Hardik Pandya hit the winning runs to give India a chance of finishing above group leaders Australia, who are playing South Africa in Saturday’s later match at Old Trafford.

“We wanted to play good cricket but we didn’t expect to do this well heading in to the semis,” Kohli said.

“That’s what hard work gets you. I am really proud of this team as a captain, they are amazing people.

“More or less everything is set for the semis but we don’t want to be one-dimensional. We need balance in the side. We are very happy.

“England or New Zealand next? The opposition has never mattered. We don’t focus on what they bring to the table. If we play well we can beat anyone.”

Earlier, Mathews hit his third one-day international century and put on 124 runs for the fifth wicket with Lahiru Thirimanne (53) to give Sri Lanka a respectable total after they were reeling at 55-4.

Jasprit Bumrah returned impressive figures of 3-37 in his 10 overs as India, who had already qualified for the semifinals, restricted Sri Lanka with some quality  bowling.

The 1996 champions finished their World Cup campaign with three wins, four defeats and two games ending in no result.

Captain Dimuth Karunaratne said Sri Lanka would take stock as they try to build for the future.

“After this World Cup we have to think about what we have to do and what we got wrong. We will talk to the selectors and find some new talent,” he said.

In his first press meet after being appointed as Bangladesh's bowling coach back in September 2016, West Indies legendary fast bowler Courtney Walsh informed that he wanted to help the Bangladesh's pace bowlers and will be happy if he could get a second Curtly Ambrose from Bangladesh.

Almost a year and a half has gone by and the question still remains whether it was Walsh who was unable to bring out the best from the Bangladesh fast bowlers or the bowlers themselves who could not apply and learn from the vast store of knowledge possessed by a fast bowler who has 519 Test wickets to his name -- more than all Bangladesh pacers combined.

The performance from the Bangladeshi fast bowlers was underwhelming throughout 2017 and the disappointing run this year against Sri Lanka at home in all three formats has prompted Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hassan to ask for a special training camp for fast bowlers under Walsh ahead of the upcoming T20I tri-nation Nidahas Trophy which also involves hosts Sri Lanka and India.

Only one pacer, Mustafizur Rahman, featured in the two Tests against Sri Lanka, but the pacers were badly exposed in the two T20Is as in both matches, they conceded more than 10 runs an over with Mustafizur's rate of 9.75 in the second game the exception.

A total of 14 fast bowlers started the training camp under Walsh yesterday which will continue till March 3, and according to the Jamaican it will be important to forget what happened in the past and rather move forward.

"This is just to focus on consistency. We haven't bowled as consistently as we would have liked so this camp is to focus on that. They have to understand their roles in the upcoming series. The camp is also to make them know what fast bowling is all about, and the hard work that is required.

"It is a combination of both. We are trying to keep it simple. We are focused on the consistency, working on the skill-set and getting a better understanding of it," Walsh told media at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.

According to the 55-year-old, the bowlers went over the top and tried too hard during the home series against Sri Lanka. He added that the camp will focus on the mental aspect of the pacers.

"We are working on the mental side of bowling in the camp. They back themselves and keep it simple. In my assessment, that's what has happened in the last series. The guys went a little bit over the top in terms of trying a bit too hard. They have to know what best to do in a situation and how to execute it. If they get the consistency, eight out of 10 times it will work in your favour. We are trying to get them to be consistent and remain relaxed with the execution," he said.

Walsh informed that Bangladesh were unable to play as a team against Sri Lanka and that both the senior and junior members of the team will have to perform their roles collectively.

The selectors meanwhile have also included six uncapped bowlers in the likes of Ebadat Hossain, Hasan Mahmud, Mohammad Robiul, Khaled Ahmed, Qazi Onik and Hossain Ali in the camp and Walsh said that he will have a look at the newcomers over the next few days.

'Not surprised' by possible Mash return

Despite announcing his retirement from T20Is last year, Tigers ODI captain Mahsrafe Bin Mortaza is still considered one of the best bowlers with the new ball and there has been talk of his return to the shortest format of the game.

BCB president Nazmul Hassan said after the end of Sri Lanka's tour that he wanted Mashrafe to return to the T20I fold, and that he had asked the former captain to return for the Sri Lanka T20Is.  The BCB boss then added that he would ask the 34-year-old to consider coming back for the Nidahas Trophy, saying that he was hopeful that the pacer would agree to his request. Mashrafe himself has been quiet on the matter.

"Mashrafe can't be replaced overnight. He has the skill and experience. These youngsters can reach that level over time but they have to be prepared to do the hard work to improve their skills. We are trying to identify some young bowlers after two or three weeks," Walsh said.

When asked for his opinion on Mahsrafe's possible return to the shortest format the legendary fast bowler said: "It is up to the powers-that-be. He has a good skill-set. It is up to Mashrafe and selectors to think about what role he can play to help Bangladesh in this point in time. I am sure he will do the right thing if he is asked and he thinks he can do it. I am not surprised because he is a talented guy." 

A press release from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on the previous day confirmed that a press conference would announce the squad for the tri-nation T20I Nidahas Trophy in Sri Lanka on Monday at 12.30pm. The venue was mentioned as the media centre area of the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.

But it was only at 3.30pm that a media boy informed reporters, who were watching the Abahani-Mohammedan clash in the Dhaka Premier League at the country's premier venue and eagerly awaiting the press conference, that BCB president Nazmul Hassan will hold the press meet at the reception zone of the BCB headquarters.

Hassan, flanked by chief selector Minhajul Abedin and other board officials, announced that they have appointed West Indies legend Courtney Walsh, the current bowling coach of the team, as head coach for the tour of Sri Lanka and explained the reason behind the decision.

He then informed that Khaled Mahmud, who was in charge in the last series at home, will act as manager, talked about Mashrafe Bin Mortaza's unwillingness to make a comeback in T20Is, the pending decisions on the batting coach and Mahmudullah Riyad's role as captain in the possible absence of regular skipper Shakib Al Hasan.

After Hassan, it was Minhajul's turn to explain the reasons behind the exclusions and inclusions in the 16-member squad.

But if the delay of the press conference without any explanation was the first sign of the chaos of the day then Hassan's comments on his involvement in team affairs and a few odd explanations from Minhajul, including one about the return of off-colour pacer Taskin Ahmed, only proved that the governance of cricket in the country has not been professional and that the team management is still clueless regarding their planning, much like the recent home series against Sri Lanka. If the delay was because of a long chat regarding Shakib's uncertain fitness it could easily have been done previously and the date and time of the press conference announced only after the decision was taken.

"I didn't pay much thought on player selection in the previous series because the responsibility was on everybody. What we did is decide on the squad and what can be the eleven…. we almost made it final…so there is the involvement," he responded to a question about his involvement. "This time we named the head coach and secondly, I will stay in Sri Lanka to look after everything. I will accompany them all the time," he added.

It could sound like a voice of a passionate supporter of the game but in no way can it be healthy for a team that a board president is involved in all affairs. This indeed depicts that the right men were not in the right places to run the show.

In all that chaos and confusion surrounding Bangladesh cricket, ODI skipper Mashrafe stood firm on his decision to stay retired from T20Is and not give in to the whims of the board.

Turning down all requests and diffusing all the pressure, Mashrafe depicted the characteristics of a true professional player. If only the BCB boss and his officials could take a cue.

Bangladesh bowling coach Courtney Walsh believes that talented paceman Mustafizur Rahman is responding well to the training program that was designed for him and will return to his best once again.

Mustafizur has been a bit inconsistent in the recently concluded ICC Champions Trophy and since returning from injury, the young paceman had to make some changes to his bowling approach.

His record pre and post surgery are in marked contrast as he took 26 wickets from nine matches at 12.34 before injury and 18 wickets from 13 matches at 30.55 after surgery.

Veteran coaches like Nazmul Abedin and Sarwar Imran had said that one of the major changes that occurred in Mustafizur’s action is the point and angle of release.

Both coaches zeroed down on the fact that earlier Mustafiz used to bowl from closer to the stumps pre-injury.

Legendary fast bowler Walsh had a one-on-one session with the left-arm pacer and provided him with tips and tricks to improve his game.

Cricbuzz spoke to Walsh after the completion of the first session and he said: "It is too early to say anything apart from the fact that he is responding very well in the training sessions.

"We are trying to make him bowl (from) close to the wicket but that is not the only thing as we are trying some other stuff as well," he concluded.