‘He will never sacrifice a bit of cricket’

Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza’s World Cup career was brought to an inauspicious end as the Tigers saved their worst performance for their final 2019 World Cup match, which they lost to Pakistan by 94 runs at Lord’s yesterday.

Although on paper it was a dead-rubber match, with Pakistan needing to win by an outrageous margin to find a semifinal place and Bangladesh already booted out of the race by their 28-run defeat to India on Tuesday, the Tigers had much to play for.

A win would have extended a dominant run against Pakistan to five successes on the trot and would also have given Bangladesh the fifth spot in the table. But their failings throughout a campaign that impressed outsiders came back to haunt them with a vengeance, resulting in Pakistan benefitting from a poor fielding effort and scoring around 30 or 40 runs more than what seemed to be a par score on a slowish track. For once in the tournament, Bangladesh’s batting could not put a positive spin on a defeat as the Tigers folded for 221 in just 44.1 overs in chase of 316. It was Bangladesh’s lowest total in eight matches of this edition.

The only positive for Bangladesh from the match, and it has been the same for much of the World Cup, was Shakib Al Hasan’s continued brilliance with the bat. The left-hander top-scored with 64 and that saw him make it back to the top of the tournament’s run-scorers’ list. He also became the only batsman after Sachin Tendulkar in 2003 to have seven 50-plus scores in a World Cup. Having finished on 606 runs, he is also the third batsman in World Cup history -- after Tendulkar and Matthew Hayden -- to go past the 600-run mark in a single edition of the mega event.

Mustafizur Rahman also picked up his second five-wicket haul on the trot, which shot him up to second in the tournament’s wicket-takers’ list, but that he gave away 75 runs while doing so spoke volumes of Bangladesh’s plight in this tournament -- a bowling and fielding unit that has just not been up to scratch.

In chase of a total that seemed manageable, especially after Bangladesh had cantered past West Indies’ 321 in Taunton on June 17, the disheartening aspect was the lack of fight displayed by the Tigers in the chase. Tamim Iqbal’s underwhelming World Cup met a tame end when a brilliant off-cutter from Shaheen Shah Afridi in the 11th over snuck through his defence and disturbed the furniture, dismissing Bangladesh’s leading run-scorer for eight off 21 balls. Soumya had departed earlier, hitting Mohammad Amir straight to point in the sixth over. That it was not going to be Bangladesh’s day was evident when Mushfiqur Rahim -- the other man in form -- inside-edged a Wahab Riaz delivery onto his stumps in the 18th over to leave the score on 78 for three.

Shakib persisted, seemingly batting on a different wicket than his teammates, and put on 58 for the fourth wicket with Liton Das, but Liton’s second soft dismissal in a row, check-driving Afridi to cover, was followed swiftly by Shakib’s dismissal, caught behind off the same bowler in the 33rd over.

With their talisman back in the hut and the score reading 154 for five, the fight had left the Tigers completely. Mahmudullah Riyad, coming back into the side after missing the match against India because of a calf muscle tear, scored 29 as Mosaddek Hossain and Mohammad Saifuddin came and went. Mahmudullah was eighth out to Afridi, who completed a five-wicket haul with a swinging yorker that bowled Mahmudullah off his toes. Mashrafe came in and gave the crowd something to cheer about with sixes off Shadab Khan and Afridi, but was stumped off the former in the 44th over. Afridi then did not waste any time, bowling Mustafizur with a yorker to end up with figures of six for 35 -- Pakistan’s best individual figures in a World Cup.

Earlier, Pakistan’s innings was based around a 157-run second-wicket stand between centurion Imam-ul-Haq and Babar Azam. Babar, however, was given two lives in successive overs. Mosaddek Hossain dropped him off Mustafizur at point in the 26th over when the batsman was on 57 and then Mushfiqur Rahim failed to get a glove to an edge in the following over off Mosaddek’s bowling.

Instead of halting a threatening partnership that was yet not past the century mark after seven overs and leading up to Babar’s life had produced just 24 runs, Bangladesh conceded 43 runs in the five overs following Mosaddek’s miss. Mohammad Saifuddin was taken for two boundaries in the 32nd over but he broke through with the last ball, trapping Babar in front for 98-ball 96.

Imam then picked up the pace and reached his seventh ODI century off 99 balls, but was out to a freak dismissal off his next ball, when he stepped on to the stumps while flicking Mustafizur off his hips to be out hit-wicket in the 42nd over.

The score was then on 246 for three and Mehedi Hasan Miraz  -- the only Bangladesh bowler to make use of the slow conditions and keep a lid on the scoring -- made it 248 for four in the next over by getting Mohammad Hafeez caught at deep square leg.

Mehedi ended with figures of one for 30 from 10 overs -- no one else other than Shakib conceded runs at less than six an over. Mustafizur dismissed Haris Sohail to bring up his 100th ODI wicket in his 54th match.

In the 48th over, he surprised everyone and perhaps even himself when he took a brilliant catch, diving to his left and plucking the ball one handed inches off the pitch, to dismiss Shadab Khan off his own bowling.

Like he had done against India, Mustafizur took two wickets in the last over, dismissing Imad Wasim -- whose 26-ball 43 gave Pakistan the late-overs momentum -- and Mohammad Amir.

Like against India, however, it proved to be too little too late as Bangladesh’s fielding and bowling in the early stages cost them one last time.

Expectations were high ahead of the World Cup in England but upon the team’s return home yesterday, captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza spoke of his disappointment of not meeting their own expectations in the coveted tournament, although he lauded the poise from the youngsters.

Aside from Shakib Al Hasan, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Sabbir Rahman and Liton Das, all of whom are currently on vacation, the rest of the Tigers departed from Heathrow Airport on July 6.

Following their quarterfinal exit in the 2015 edition, the Tigers left for the ongoing World Cup with high hopes of reaching the semifinals for the first time in history.

The accumulation of experience and the fact that the team won their first multi-nation tournament just ahead of the World Cup during a tri-series on their tour of Ireland, where they beat West Indies in the final, provided the team with impetus going into the showpiece event.

Expectations were further justified when they began their campaign with a win against South Africa. However, results did not go their way when it mattered most. Given the format, where all ten teams played each other in the group stage, it was always going to be a tough ask. Yet, the Tigers finished well below the expected mark, ending in eighth place after having targeted a semifinal berth.

“We went there with expectations and from that point of view it is disappointing. If we look at the whole World Cup and how we played, if some things went in our favour, we could have played the semifinals. Overall it was a positive experience but at the same time, the expectations were higher and from that point of view, it was disappointing,” Mashrafe told reporters yesterday upon his arrival at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.

The close defeat to New Zealand and the washed out match against Sri Lanka certainly played a hand but Mashrafe took responsibility nevertheless.

“As a captain, when the team does not fulfil expectations, then I will have to accept criticism. Of course I am taking full responsibility and at the same time it is normal that there will be criticism anywhere in the world after a big tournament,” the inspirational skipper added.

While his disappointment was evident when he suggested that ‘the chips were down’ in crucial matches, Mashrafe spoke highly of the youngsters’ efforts and said they should not be blamed, adding that some could match the levels of the current Big Five.

“It’s always the young players who are particularly blamed. Those who are seniors now, they were young once and not as consistent as they are now. The youngsters now are playing with a level of consistency and under a kind of intense pressure that we did not have to face when we were young,” Mashrafe said, referencing younger players like Mohammad Saifuddin, Mehedi, Mustafizur and Liton Das.

“So, they cannot be blamed unilaterally. They tried very hard. It is a big stage and it is not easy to perform here. I am hoping that with more experience they will reach the levels shown by Shakib, Tamim, Mushfiqur and Riyad.”

Lack of consistency played a key role for the captain in their campaign, which could have ended differently. However, Shakib Al Hasan performed magnificently throughout the tournament and the captain duly credited his star all-rounder.

“Shakib was outstanding. Shakib, Mushfiqur [Rahim], Mustafizur and Saifuddin played outstanding cricket. The others performed less consistently. At some particular points we needed luck to be on our side but that did not happen.”

There's no point in head scratching or pondering on ways to turn back time, it's done. Bangladesh have exited the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 and boarded their flight back home from England yesterday. However, on their way back, there still may be a few things lingering at the back of their minds. Perhaps such thoughts could lead to imaginary scenarios where the 'what ifs' make the difference between what was and what could have been. Just what if…

Mushy had been a little patient

What are the must-do things while defending a below-par 244, that too against a compact New Zealand side at the biggest stage -- a World Cup game? Well, the message from the pavilion would have been to grab every chance you get. If not literally, grabbing opportunities on the ground become easier when you are wearing a pair of gloves. Creating an opportunity, even a tiny error of judgement from the opposition is induced by a series of small endeavours while in pursuit of your aim. But when the moment comes, you need to wait and make the right call and time it to perfection. Maybe Mushfiqur Rahim -- the man with the gloves behind the stumps for the Tigers -- succumbed to euphoria while thinking about the result and had not been concentrating on the process that needs to be done in order to get a desired outcome when he tried to grab the ball early in an attempt to have Kane Williamson run-out in the 12th over. Mushfiqur knocked the bails off with his arm before grabbing the ball and the Kiwi skipper -- batting on eight at that time -- who was nowhere near the crease, had eventually made his ground and survived, courtesy of that error. Williamson, who was finally dismissed on 40 in the 32nd over, went on to string together a 105-run third-wicket stand with Ross Taylor in a game that the Tigers lost by just two wickets.

GOD LET THE SUN SHINE!

The persistent drizzle at the Country Ground in Bristol on June 11 might not have had a huge impact on the lifestyle of the city's inhabitants but it did mar Bangladesh's chalked out plan or intended route to the semifinal of the World Cup. Going into the World Cup, Bangladesh were expected to beat the likes of Afghanistan, West Indies -- which they did eventually -- and Sri Lanka. And when Bangladesh started their campaign with an unexpected yet well-deserved 21-run victory over South Africa, the Tigers had just made their chances brighter, needing to do the regulation work from then on and a few surprise wins over the powerhouses of cricket to pave their way to a maiden World Cup semifinal. However, it all depended on that game against Sri Lanka -- a side that are one place lower in ICC ODI rankings than Bangladesh -- where the Tigers were clearly the favourites. Unfortunately, the Tigers were kept waiting, maybe with hopes of the rain to stop in Bristol, till the official announcement of the match being abandoned was made, forcing the Tigers to remain content with one point from the inexperienced Sri Lankan side.

SABBIR IMPACTED THE RIGHT TEAM

The team management was probably right on money to give Sabbir Rahman the nod ahead of Mosaddek Hossain for the game against Australia on June 20 at Trent Bridge in Nottingham, given Sabbir's reputation and proven ability of playing pace well and better than most in the Tigers' XI. But little did they know that Sabbir's impact in the game would see Australia opener David Warner's bat shine instead of Sabbir himself. Often the destructive Warner does not provide his opposition with any chances but Bangladesh were probably lucky to have been presented with two chances by the left-hander which were both relinquished in the same game. The first opportunity came as early as the fifth over, when Warner went on his back foot to cut a Mashrafe Bin Mortaza delivery towards backward point only to see a perfectly positioned Sabbir going low to his right with both hands and spilling the ball onto the ground. Warner, on just 10, breathed a sigh of relief. By the time the next opportunity came, Warner had inflicted just the right amount of pain as expected after being handed a life early on, as the 32-year old was then batting on 70 in the 26th over. A slight mix-up between him and Usman Khawaja saw Warner run a quarter way to other end but he soon realised that he had to sprint back. A fumble by the same culprit, Sabbir, at mid-on allowed Warner to reach home safely. And this time Warner would stop only after hitting a 147-ball 166 in a game where the Tigers lost by 48 runs and were left wondering what could have happened had they restricted Australia to 30 or 40 runs less than their mammoth 381 for five.

TAMIM HAD NOT DONE THAT

Tamim Iqbal usually takes these types of catches nine times out of ten during fielding drills at practice sessions. But the one time he would miss the catch was unfortunately during Bangladesh's must-win game against India on July 2 at Edgbaston in Birmingham. This time it was not a call for catch by a fielding coach after hitting the ball in the air with a willow during practice sessions as it was India opener Rohit Sharma who had mistimed an attempted pull shot off Mustafizur Rahman in the fifth over of a high intensity World Cup tie. Tamim, running to his left from deep square leg, covered almost 15 yards and did all the hard work before applying the finishing touch -- catching the ball. But to everyone's surprise he spilled the ball after touching it with the palm of his hand before watching it ricochet off his chest and fall to the ground. Rohit, who was on nine, moved onto 10 after taking a single and survived. But you don't expect a batsman of Rohit's calibre to stop there, right? Shrugging off the heart in hand moment, Rohit kept on inflicting misery on Bangladesh, scoring a magnificent 104 off 92 deliveries. The right-hander was adjudged player-of-the-match in their 28-run victory over the Tigers. 

THERE WAS A CLONE OF SHAKIB?

While wondering about what could have happened for Bangladesh in the ongoing World Cup, imagining something totally absurd would not do much harm. The Tigers are out of the World Cup but one particular Tiger from the squad still remains in the mega event. Bangladesh's ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan is well in contention for the player-of-tournament award after his excellent World Cup campaign. The prestigious award would certainly be at the top of Shakib's personal achievement's shelf and it would not be a surprise to see him add the trophy to his other accolades. Playing in eight matches, Shakib has scored fifty or more in seven of them -- with a score of 41 against Australia being the only anomaly. The all-rounder scored back-to-back hundreds in this World Cup and also smashed five fifties. Shakib, who finished with 606 runs, became only the third player ever after Sachin Tendulkar and Matthew Hayden to have scored 600 runs in one edition of the World Cup. While Sachin and Hayden did not part-take with the ball, Shakib has also scalped 11 wickets in the mega event to see him ahead of anyone else in the race to be adjudged the player-of-the-tournament. Maybe now the team management will be left pondering on ways to get a clone of Shakib to further bolster the side.