Tigers at rest before WI test

Mustafizur Rahman is one of Bangladesh cricket's chief assets in T20 cricket due to his vast experience in franchise cricket. The 35-run defeat against West Indies in the second of the three-match T20I series at Guyana has however raised questions regarding Fizz's performance. 

Mustafizur did not find a concrete response to the question of whether he will recapture the form which saw him shine in the 2016 edition of the IPL.

"After a year and a half of surgery, my performance was not good. But there is no end to learning. You can learn every day. I am also trying to improve and to be like other good bowlers in the world. I'm improving my fitness and trying to learn every way possible while taking the advice of the coaches," Fizz said on not being able to maintain peak form.

The left-arm fast bowler also explained why his bowling economy increases when bowling on pitches outside of Asia.

"The wickets in Asia are one of a kind, but the wickets outside Asia are very different. Outside Asia, wickets are better and truer. You will see in Asia that it is difficult to score 150 runs in T20. However, even two hundred runs outside Asia is not safe. That could be one of the reasons why my economy is increasing," he said while sharing his experience of working with pace bowling coach Alan Donald.

The match took place at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton, but the pitch and the crowd were such that Bangladesh’s method during yesterday’s 62-run win against Afghanistan was straight from the Mirpur playbook. On a slow wicket, they overcame Afghanistan’s spin threat with steady partnerships built around Mushfiqur Rahim’s 83, and slowly but surely accelerated to a total of 262 for eight. Then, the bowlers, all raised on sluggish surfaces, choked the Afghan batsmen into making mistakes and one particular player drew blood five times as the required run rate ballooned and the wickets in hand shrivelled.

Also, like Mirpur, the support for Bangladesh was overwhelming. When the match was nearing its conclusion, loud chants of ‘Shakib, Shakib!’ went up when Bangladesh’s highest scorer and highest wicket-taker in this World Cup was fielding at the deep square leg fence. He had just completed the quintessential star all-rounder’s performance, scoring 52 in Bangladesh’s innings and then returning spectacular figures of five for 29 from 10 miserly, incisive overs. If his contribution to Bangladesh staying relevant in the World Cup needed to be underscored, he has been the player-of-the-match in the three matches that Bangladesh have won so far.

The win, with two World Cup matches left, moves the Tigers up to fifth position with the equation remaining much the same – having to win their last two matches against India on July 2 and Pakistan on July 5, as well as needing one or two other results to go their way, to make the semifinals.

Skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza had placed great importance on assessing conditions during play to win matches across the varying conditions and grounds of the UK. He could not have asked for more than a slowish wicket, a large outfield and Afghanistan skipper Gulbadin Naib’s favour of batting last on a used wicket. Afghanistan had played India on the same surface on Saturday and held their mighty opponents to 224 for eight in an 11-run loss and so would have had a good idea of conditions. But being the superior team on paper, in rankings, on current form and in experience proved to be enough for Bangladesh who understood the Mirpur-ness of the situation and played accordingly.

But it was not all roses for Bangladesh. Their toughest tests are to come in crunch matches against stronger subcontinental opposition, both of whom can be expected to largely negate their spin strength. In that regard, the pace department is a concern. All of them -- Mustafizur Rahman (6.7), Mohammad Saifuddin (6.69) and Mashrafe (6.34) – have been expensive throughout the World Cup. Mashrafe has gone wicketless in five of the six matches so far, including yesterday. Mustafizur and Saifuddin are equal with Shakib on wickets with 10 each, but the two wickets that Mustafizur took – Rashid Khan in the 44rd over and Dawlat Zadran in the 46th – and Saifuddin’s wicket of Mujeeb Ur Rahman to end the chase on 200 with three overs left were all taken when the result was beyond question.

It was Shakib who, in three spells of wily left-arm spin, won the match for Bangladesh. Coming on in the 11th over, he dismissed Rahmat Shah with a skidder that the batsman top edged to mid on. Mosaddek Hossain chipped in by having Hashmatullah Shahidi stumped, but Shakib was back in the 29th over to deal the decisive blow. Naib, the innings’ top scorer with 47, was caught smartly by Liton Das at short cover and a ball later, Shakib bowled

Mohamamd Nabi with a classic arm-ball that snuck through bat and pad. In the 33rd, he had Asghar Afghan smartly stumped by Mushfiqur Rahim. At the end of the over Shakib’s figures read four for 10 from seven overs. Mashrafe could have gone for the kill, but chose to rest Shakib, who had to wait till the 42nd over to bag his second ODI five-for through another stumping, this time the victim being Najibullah Zadran as Afghanistan fell to 188 for seven.

When Bangladesh were batting, even the new ball was stopping on the batsmen, as illustrated by some airy drives early on by Tamim Iqbal and Liton Das, who was opening the innings instead of Soumya Sarkar presumably to deny off-spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman two left-handers to bowl to.

It was one that stopped that got rid of Liton for 16, when the right-hander drove early against a carrom ball and offered a low catch to cover, where Hashmatullah Shahidi got his fingers underneath the ball just before it hit the turf. The decision went upstairs with a soft signal of out, and after a few replays it was concluded that the catch was clean.

The in-form Shakib Al Hasan was nurdling singles, while Tamim found it harder to score, especially against the off spin of Mohammad Nabi, who was extracting sharp turn from the surface. Tamim made up for a slow start by striking two boundaries off Gulbadin Naib in the 14th over. However, as has been a feature so far in this World Cup, he departed after having done the hard work when, on 36 from 52 balls in the 17th over, he shaped to cut the last ball from Nabi anticipation of turn, but was bowled by one that went straight through.

Off the very next ball, bowled from the other end by Rashid Khan, Shakib was adjudged leg-before and immediately reviewed and, fortunately for Bangladesh, the decision was overturned as the ball was shown to be going over the stumps.

Tamim’s departure brought the form duo of Mushfiqur and Shakib together, and they set about milking the Afghan spinners, bringing up the fifty-run stand in just 51 balls in the 25th over. Shakib’s dismissal, leg-before to Mujeeb, brought to an end a 61-run third-wicket stand. Soumya did not last long, but Mahmudullah Riyad stitched together another significant partnership of 56 for the fifth wicket with Mushfiqur. Despite being visible hampered by a calf strain that he would later get scanned last night, Mahmudullah ran hard and hit some timely blows before a tired looking shot off a Naib slower delivery saw him depart for 28 off 37.

From 217 for five after 43 overs, Mosaddek and Mushfiqur took some quick runs, focusing as much on boundaries as on singles. Bangladesh scored 68 off the last 10 overs. Mushfiqur holed out off Dawlat in the penultimate over for a valuable 87-ball 83, and Mosaddek was bowled by Naib off the last ball for a vital 24-ball 35.

Bangladesh take on the West Indies in the first Test in Antigua today, hoping their slightly inexperienced batting line-up can weather the pace storm. Antigua has a strong recent record of making Bangladesh batters suffer.

In 2018, the Tigers were bowled out for their lowest-ever Test total at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua. This time, without the assuredness provided by their three top-calibre batters in Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan and skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto, the team management would be hoping the batting line-up holds up.

Bangladesh have played five Test series in West Indies to date, and the 2009 tour was the high point of their Windies trials so far, when they clinched the series 2–0. The two most recent Test series in Windies -- in 2018 and 2022 -- were swept 2–0 by the hosts.

Bangladesh are coming off the back of dismal Test series losses against India and South Africa, where even the presence of the more experienced batters did not help their cause. In this ICC World Test Championship, Bangladesh languish at eighth with three wins in 10 Tests, unable to carve out a draw this cycle.

Top-order batting issues have rarely seen Bangladesh batters survive an onslaught after the opposition has gotten a sniff. Thus, a big test of will and skill awaits the new recruits -- the likes of Shahadat Hossain Dipu or a Jaker Ali in the upcoming Tests.

Psychologically, it would be a relief to have their full-strength pace-bowling line-up for the upcoming Tests, and the emergence of speedsters such as Nahid Rana or Hasan Mahmud gives the Tigers something to look forward to in terms of showcasing pace prowess.

The Windies pace attack, with Kemar Roach back in the fold and quicks such as Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph and Jayden Seales, would look to give an apt response to Bangladesh's pace.

Both teams are coming off the back of red-ball series losses to South Africa. The Windies batting has some new faces, and one win and five losses this year show they need their batting to fire.

"It's very important. Coming off of the disappointment of the South Africa series, where we really put ourselves in a position to close out that series, we didn't, and we now have this opportunity against Bangladesh," Windies head coach Andre Coley said ahead of the first Test.

"It's very important for us to come out with a winning result on home soil before we head off to (Pakistan)," Coley had remarked, underlining the confidence the hosts want to project in the Tests coming up.

Highlights 

*In 20 encounters, Bangladesh have four Test wins against the West Indies' 14, with two matches ending in a draw.

*The Tigers won two away from home – a 2-0 sweep in 2009 -and clinched as many at home.

*It has been a constant slump for Bangladesh in the Caribbeans since the 2009 triumph as they lost six matches across three separate visits. Those were hammering defeats as it included two 10-wicket losses, as many thrashings by 200-plus runs, and an innings defeat. In 2018, the Tigers were bundled out for 43 – their lowest-ever total in the format.

*Nine members of the Bangladesh squad haven't played in the West Indies.

*No Bangladesh batter has struck a century in the West Indies since Mushfiqur Rahim's 116 in Kingstown in 2014. Mushfiqur, however, is unavailable for the series due to injury.

Bangladesh are staring at the prospect of defeat inside three days after closing day two of the first Test on Friday at 50 for two in their second innings, needing 112 more runs to make the West Indies bat again.

West Indies were eventually dismissed in their first innings for 265 after tea, having started the morning at 95 for two.

Captain Kraigg Brathwaite anchored his side's effort with a typically painstaking 400-minute knock of 94, supported by 63 from Jermaine Blackwood, the vice-captain taking a page from his leader's operational manual as the contribution was the slowest of his 16 Test half-centuries.

"The first hour (of Day Three) is crucial. We have to keep it tight even if we don't get wickets. Once we build pressure, that's how we will take wickets. I don't think we can run them over. We have to bowl well," said Brathwaite.

"When I started the innings, the pitch was a bit slow. It got a little harder this morning but still it was on the slow side. But I think it was a decent pitch to bat on. I am obviously disappointed but I am happy that the team has an important lead. I was pleased (with the 94) but the most important thing was to build on a foundation for my team. I was happy with the time I spent. Obviously well done to the team for getting a lead," he added.

Brathwaite added 62 and 63 for the third and fourth wicket with Nkrumah Bonner and Blackwood respectively.

"The partnerships were really important. I think the Bangladesh bowlers did really well. Even the spinners held their line really well. The pitch was a little slow but it still had something for the pacers off the surface. I think those were crucial partnerships. I thought we did a good job to get a lead."

"We are trying, but things are not happening for us," were the words uttered by a timid Nasum Ahmed after Bangladesh's eight-wicket thumping at the hands of England in the 2021 World Cup in Abu Dhabi.

After exiting the last T20 World Cup with six defeats from eight encounters, the promise from the Bangladesh team management was that at least initial steps towards building a structure for the T20 squad would be taken before the next T20 extravaganza, which is scheduled for October-November later this year.

However, it is clear from every vantage point that not only has that promise not materialised, but Bangladesh are still in a similarly sorry situation in the shortest format as they were a year ago.

The way Bangladesh played during their 35-run defeat to the West Indies in the second T20I of the ongoing three-match series, which was considered the first step in preparations for the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia, characterised the truth that Nasum blurted out during that presser -- Bangladesh are unable to make things happen.

The way Bangladesh played during their 35-run defeat to the West Indies in the second T20I of the ongoing three-match series, which was considered the first step in preparations for the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia, characterised the truth that Nasum blurted out during that presser -- Bangladesh are unable to make things happen.

In fact, things did not even change in terms of how Bangladesh view themselves in the format. Last time, Bangladesh went into the T20 World Cup with a false sense of achievement, having registered 'historic series wins' over Australia and New Zealand in favourable home conditions.

As it stands, a similar bubble surrounds the players this time. Skipper Mahmudullah Riyad talked boldly about the 'settled T20 eleven' that the Tigers now possess before leaving for the West Indies.

Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib struck a 52-ball 68 but could not quite avenge Powell hitting 23 in his final over with the ball. PHOTO:AFP

Having a settled playing eleven essentially means that players are aware of their roles. That did not seem to be the case when, chasing a challenging 194-run target in the second T20I, the likes of Anamul Haque, Liton Das and Mahmudullah returned to the pavilion in a hurry, leaving the middle-order with the job of saving face.

Looking at the way the hosts structured their innings, it can be observed that it took more than just Rovman Powell's muscles to reach the daunting total. Before Powell overwhelmed the Tigers with an unbeaten 61 off just 28 deliveries, opener Brandon King somewhat bided his time after the West Indies lost two early wickets. That effort saw him score a fifty but also set the stage for Powell's carnage.

No discernible approach could be gauged from the Tigers' camp. Even Shakib Al Hasan's unbeaten 68 was more an attempt to help Bangladesh reduce the margin of defeat to something less embarrassing.

With the hosts leading the series 1-0, the Bangladesh team moved from Dominica to Guyana, where the final and series-deciding T20I is set to be staged on July 7.

Bangladesh could spring a surprise and end up winning the final game to level the series. But that would in no way solve the problems that have persisted in the Tigers' camp, chief among them, their questionable approach in T20Is.