Regaining focus the key

It is always safer to be populist rather than pragmatic. But that does not necessarily mean a safe option will win you a battle.

Before yesterday’s India-Pakistan World Cup clash, all and sundry prescribed that it would be a cracker of a contest. Historically, that has been the case. But considering the strength of the two sides and conflicting performance graphs leading up the showpiece event, it only held a populist notion rather than anything to do with ground reality.

Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed won the toss and opted to field; a decision driven not by emotion but pure logic. He knew that his team stood a chance to win the game if his bowlers, the strong link of his side, could upset the Indian batting juggernaut that runs deep. He was also aware of the fact that a total beyond 300 would be a tough ask for his side to chase down with a brittle middle-order.

Thankfully, the overflowing emotions revolving around an India-Pakistan game have subsided considerably in Bangladesh, mainly due to rise of the Tigers in recent years.

That emotional override, however, has taken a different shape with the success of their own team. It was alright until that overflow of emotion penetrated the thought process of the team management.

Ever since Bangladesh’s heavy defat against England a week ago, the core of the team has seemed a bit distracted by some off-field criticisms targeting inspirational leader Mashrafe Bin Mortaza. In every presser since then, there has been more effort to defend Mashrafe than focus on other serious issues.

Bangladesh were understandably hurt after their fixture against Sri Lanka was washed out. They have every reason to feel that they were deprived of another possible point, instead of sharing it with the Lankans. But the way the coach Steve Rhodes swiped at the ICC, the games governing body, was something that went out of proportion. It was a bit emotional from the Englishman, who knows of the fickle English weather better than anybody else in the team.

However, regaining focus will be the biggest challenge for the Tigers going into the game against the West Indies today. They have been travelling and have gotten little chance to practice due to inclement weather for the past eight days. It is too long for comfort.

The Taunton cricket ground is relatively small compared to other English grounds, with the square boundary just over 65 meters. This is an issue that has been bothering the Tigers think tank most as they come up against a team famous for power-hitting.

The team management is also thinking of bringing about changes in the playing eleven. In the three games that Bangladesh have played so far, they fielded four bowlers with Mosaddek Hossain doing the unenviable job as a fifth bowler with his off-spin.

The idea was to give the batting more solidity. But it did not work according to plan with Mohammad Mithun not living up to the demand as a solid number five batsman. The introduction of a fifth bowler, sacrificing a batsman in that process, could be a rational but is by no means absolute.

What the Tigers need is to assert their own strengths and act accordingly instead of being worried about the opposition’s strengths or being bogged down by criticism.

More than that, they need to express themselves if they are to bring their World Cup dream back on track.