Nazmul's place under the scanner

Not all of us are cricket gurus or analysts. Some watch the game purely for entertainment. And the Bangladesh national cricket team brings a stroke of joy into our otherwise mundane lives. However, this iota of joy comes at the cost of our frazzled nerves.

I don't understand cricket much, but I have wholeheartedly loved the game ever since I saw flamboyant Ravi Shastri hitting fours and sixes back in the day.

I watch each game from start to finish; watch the pre- and post-game analysis, eagerly await the toss, and pray constantly that they have a good day on the field. And then, read all about it in the newspaper the next day.

Yes, I put that much time into Bangladesh cricket! That much blind faith in their performance, much to my foolhardiness. Although they never fail to enthuse a fan like me to no limits, their antics, both inside and outside the field, are as good as any soap opera.

Now, I don't want to go into the nitty-gritty of the board's and selection team's inanity. Sports politics is very complex to me. Yet, I will vote for my Tigers on any given day, setting aside their arrogance, overconfidence, and so on.

I will also overlook facts that we don't have quality openers, our top batting order is unable to build partnerships, choking at crucial games, or their inability to win outside the borders of Mirpur stadium.

Sadly, fans like me will always hope that the next game will be better and that they won't repeat their old mistakes. We console ourselves by thinking that it was just a bad day on the field. However, these bad days are trending hashtags at the Tigers' den. We hardly ever get to see a good day.

And yet our hopes remain high; we always stand by our Tigers, old or new. In our daydreams, we see them triumph in their next tournament and bring home a trophy.

In all honesty, the Tigers' fan club, consisting of members like me, are the real losers for always believing in their fabled abilities. Our team supposedly contains top-ranking players in the world. So where is this supposed performance?

Like I said before, I don't understand the subtle dynamics of the game; I am not a cricket guru. My rantings are purely from the point of view of a die-hard fan. Consider this a therapy session of me, venting out my frustrations about my broken heart after every game.

This sounds especially silly because every time they lose, I promise myself never to watch them play again. And yet, like an unashamed fool, whenever the Bangladesh Tigers are on the pitch, I follow the game through whatever means. I hear the game on the radio (quick shoutout to Radio Bhumi's commentary style) while I am in the car, constantly check updates on Cricinfo when I am not near a television set, and glued to the TV when at home.

If they are losing wickets or the game, I turn off the TV and pretend I don't care about them missing a catch and dropping someone twice or getting run out or caught behind. Although, every few seconds, I sneak a peek on Cricinfo with half an eye open, like I do when watching a horror film.

I cannot stay away from them. I have a bitter love story with the Tigers, jam-packed with superstitions and delusions. If they score a four when I am not in the room, I will stay on that spot until they run dry of fours. If one gets out while I was munching on a packet of chips, then chips are forever banned as a choice during game munchies!

If switching off the TV somehow changes the score for the better, then that TV will stay off, while I stay seated in front of the switched-off TV. I even repeat the same kurti I wore when they won a game!

You see, for me, these small rituals matter more than their statistics and performance figures. They are an unpredictable team. They will lose a winning game and win a losing one. So, I rely on my antics more than theirs.

As predicted, this ongoing tournament is playing havoc with my hypertension — it goes up and down like the scores of their top-order batsmen. I have emotionally invested so much in them, with no hopes of any return, that my soppiness can only be compared to a supporting role in a bad Bangla cinema script.

I might die before the Tigers mature and grow some claws. From a fan who doesn't understand much, the Tigers need to play their best game instead of focusing on game politics, fat cheques, and endorsement.

My head cannot take any more cricketing riddles. I think I will finally call it quits. I give up on the Tigers. Promise (not)!

An agonising five-run defeat against Pakistan saw Bangladesh bow out of the ongoing ICC Under-19 World Cup from the Super Sixes on Saturday. The reigning Asian Champions had high hopes of winning the title for the second time since 2020, and it seemed as if a semifinal berth was almost in their grasp. The Daily Star's Mazhar Uddin caught up with Stuart Law, the coach of the Bangladesh Under-19 side, as he reflected on the things that went wrong, takeaways for the young Tigers from the tournament in South Africa among a few other topics. The excerpts of the interview are as follows:

The Daily Star (DS): It must have been a painful exit for the Bangladesh team from the ICC Under-19 World Cup.

Stuart Law (SL): We spoke about not only winning the match but also in the time where we needed to keep that run-rate above Pakistan to qualify and spoke about the best way to do this. We won the toss and we would bowl first and try to restrict Pakistan under 200 which we did and did very well. Bowling was excellent; great performance from (Rohanat Doullah) Borson and (Sheikh Parvez) Jibon and they were standouts with the ball in hand and our fielding was excellent. We took great catches and executed a good run-out. We were really up for the fight. Then when we were batting, we knew we have 38.1 overs to score the runs which work out in four runs per over. Unfortunately, the pressure got a bit too much for us and Pakistan bowled very well with good pace. The pitch was different from what we been playing in Bloemfontein as there was good bounce and wasn't batter-friendly, so it was always going to be a little bit difficult. However, we feel we should have won the game and we should have been progressing to the semifinals. It was heartbreaking.

There were a lot of tears in the dressing room and the boys were really upset and disappointed with their performance with the bat after putting on a great performance in the field. It was a tough one to comprehend and to explain the last evening for the players, it was difficult. We all wanted to continue this journey forward but unfortunately it was cut short.

DS: How much does it hurt you as a coach?

SL: It doesn't hurt me as a coach but it hurts me because the players are so upset. I am not here for myself, I am here for the players. I have been on this journey for 20 months with them and I think I have missed one practice game in cricket throughout the whole 20 months. To watch these boys to develop not only as young cricketers but also as young men, it was a huge outpour of emotion. I hope you don't want to feel that often as I said to the boys last night (Saturday), 'look pain of this defeat will disappear, it's the memories that we created will last forever. Just think about the memories we are still Asia Cup champions and will remain the Asia Cup champions for the next two years. That's a huge positive and the first time Bangladesh achieved the feat. So there's really good things we have achieved along with the journey and we have numerous series wins and two wins outside of Asia. Hopefully, the hurt of missing out on the semifinal will disappear quickly and we fly out of South Africa today and hopefully starting from tomorrow, it will be a lot easier to forget about it.

DS: Do you think batting was a concern for the team throughout the tournament?

SL: I always think we could have been better in all areas but we are talking about kids who are under-19. Every day they are going to make mistakes as a young man learns from making mistakes. Yes, we have made similar mistakes quite often which is probably more concerning than actually making the mistake. It's a development stage in their career; to play at the higher level under extreme pressure is only going to benefit them in the long run. Yes, everyone wants to win, don't get me wrong, this age group shouldn't be all about winning. We should bank on unearthing some of the talents for the Bangladesh senior team in years to come. I think we have achieved that quite well.

DS: Who are the players you think can go on to represent the senior team soon?

SL: There are a few and from the bowling point of view. I mentioned Borson and I will get back to the Asia Cup semifinal against India and in the final against UAE, he was unbelievable. We had a good quality back up in Maruf (Mridha) and (KIqbal Hossain) Emon as well. But the standout fast bowler would be Borson and probably the lesser mentioned spinner would be Jibon. In all conditions, whether it's a spinning one or not he finds a way to create pressure and put dot balls together and he got wickets in important time and he was outstanding against Pakistan too. There's another: Ariful (Islam) -- against Ireland, USA and Nepal he scored some quick runs to elevate the run-rate. I think they got to develop in how to get better in their games and there is one thing that Ariful needs to learn is how to rotate the strike when there is pressure. (Ashiqur Rahman) Shibly had a good Asia Cup as well and he is probably on the radar.

DS: What will be your message to the players who will now take a step further in domestic circuit from the under-19 level?

SL: My message would be to go out there and to listen to their coaches. Every coach has a different philosophy at different level and you need to do what the coach and the team needs. The process doesn't change; what they have learnt here will give them success everywhere they go as long as they stick to it and believe it. Batting is one of the departments which still needs developments and needs to understand the value of a solid defence, being able to use your footwork and create better opportunities to rotate strikes and power. They all got power in their timing, so they don't really need to go to all these power hitting coaches. You know 90 percent of your power comes from your makeup, DNA. So these guys need to find another way to get the job done as they have got good skills. Just keep drilling these things.

DS: What is your personal plan from here on?

SL: I haven't been spoken to by Bangladesh about continuing. There are a few opportunities in the pipeline for me. I would dearly like to stay with Bangladesh and continue my work here and really enjoyed seeing the boys from the 2016 Under-19 side as part of the coaching panel back then and how they are doing well at the international stage. I really enjoy my time in Bangladesh and I don't have any bad words to say as it's a great place to work and the players are receptive and responsive and eager to learn and get better. That just gives you a great feeling to continue. Conversations are yet to happen, so I don't know at this stage what is going on.

Pakistan spin wizard Mushtaq Ahmed has been in charge of the Bangladesh spinners for the past two international assignments -- the T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies followed by the two-match Test tour of Pakistan. His troops have delivered remarkable performances in both tours but the 54-year-old is yet to be offered a long-term contract. In an interview with The Daily Star's Samsul Arefin Khan yesterday, Mushtaq shared his take on Bangladesh's historic series win in Pakistan and his future with the Tigers. 

The Daily Star (DS): Your overall assessment of the Pakistan tour?

Mushtaq Ahmed (MA): The credit goes to the whole team. [Najmul Hossain] Shanto has been very good as captain. I think it was a mixture of everything. It was a great achievement. They were very dedicated, worked really hard, and were together. I believe they had no doubt amongst themselves. If you don't have the belief, you can't challenge any team. Skill comes last. Belief comes first.

DS: How do you evaluate Bangladesh spinners on a Rawalpindi wicket that is not known to provide assistance for them?

MA: It was outstanding. [Mehedi Hasan] Miraz was really good. The reason for that is he worked really hard, and Shakib [Al Hasan] got vital wickets in the first Test, especially in the second innings. One thing you should always remember is that if players put themselves under pressure in practice, Allah always gives them results. We also talked about angles, field positions, overspin, reading the pitch, and which area you need to bowl on; we communicated a lot during those Tests and even in training. The guys played with full passion and heart and the result speaks for itself.

DS: Do you see Miraz as a regular match-winner now?

MA: He is a match-winner because he can bat, he is a good fielder and a good bowler. He is a package, three in one. It's a great combination to have for any team. The good thing about him is that he is very coachable. He is a very good listener and is hungry to learn. He understands whatever we discuss at the nets. He uses angles, the crease, pace variations, and reads the batter. He can play all formats and will become a key player for Bangladesh cricket.

DS: What went wrong for Pakistan in this series?

MA: Before saying what went wrong with the Pakistan team, I must say that Bangladesh, our team, played good cricket. Lots of people think that they didn't play good cricket. Whenever we needed a partnership, Liton [Das] and Miraz stood up. That was a great partnership. When you needed somebody to bowl a very good spell, [Nahid] Rana got three to four quick wickets. So, those are the vital moments in which we played better than them.

All I can say is that Pakistan perhaps lacked confidence. They weren't sure of what they were doing. Planning wise, I could see they were playing aggressive cricket without understanding the condition and situation unlike our guys. Overall, it was about Bangladesh players who played better than Pakistan cricketers.

DS: You have been working with BCB on a short-term basis for the past few months. What's next? Do you want to sign a long-term contract?

MA: I am very hopeful. My manager and agent are talking to the cricket board. Hopefully, if things become better, it will be a great honour for me to be part of this team because this team can do wonders.
As things stand, I won't be there for the India series [later this month]. I have a few commitments in the next three-four months. There are a few family commitments as well. Maybe after December or January, I will try my best to serve Bangladesh cricket.

DS: Your take on the competition in the spin department?

MA: Taijul [Islam] is a match-winner. Nayeem [Hasan] is also a very talented off-spinner who can bat. Good kind of competition to have. They aren't ordinary spinners. They are all very coachable, and good learners.

We have to focus more on grassroots cricket. That's very important. We have to look to the grassroots level for leg-spinners and mystery spinners. If you go to Australia, South Africa or England for white-ball cricket, you will need mystery spinners. My idea which I will share with the cricket board and other stakeholders is that they should go and find mystery spinners and make them ready for the first-class cricket and the national team. I think it will take some time but it is a great opportunity.

DS: You have worked with Rishad Hossain during the T20 World Cup. Do you see him as a prospect for red-ball cricket or do you want him to focus on white-ball only?

MA: He can improve his legspin in red-ball cricket. For that, he has to play first-class cricket and four-day cricket. We don't have to rush him into Tests. If he plays a lot of four-day cricket, he will improve his white-ball cricket also because it will make him skilled by consolidating his basics.

Communication is a key aspect of my coaching philosophy and I've been in constant communication with Rishad. I have been watching his videos, and we are talking about his alignment and planning for the future as well. We just have to make sure he plays red-ball cricket as much as he can so he can become better in ODIs and T20s. If we need a leg-spinner to play Tests, he can be ready then. It might take some time but he is one of the cricketers who can play red-ball cricket.

Finding a consistent run-getter in the opening slot alongside Tamim Iqbal has always been a concern for the Bangladesh cricket team. Nazmul Hossain Shanto thinks he can fill the gap if he gets the opportunity.

Nazmul is currently part of the 31-man preliminary squad picked by the Bangladesh Cricket Board ahead of the upcoming series against Afghanistan and West Indies.

The competition for the opening slot has intensified over time with the likes of Anamul Haque, Mohammad Mithun and Liton Das getting opportunities in recent series at home and away.

Liton had been able to make a mark in the recently concluded Nidahas Trophy while Anamul Haque featured in the home tri-nation series, but was dropped for the final which Bangladesh lost to Sri Lanka.

"No one has been able to cement their place alongside Tamim bhai in the opening slot yet. I am not saying that I will be able to secure the opening slot but my intention is to perform consistently," Nazmul said.

The left-handed opener, struck four tons this season for Abahani in the Dhaka Premier League (DPL) and finished as the highest run-getter in the tournament with 749 runs at an average of 57.61.

"I try to score runs consistently in any tournament. I will try to do the same here if I get the opportunity." Nazmul commented regarding what he wants to achieve if he gets the opportunity to feature in the international scene.