Can Tigers carry lessons to perfection?

Bangladesh’s ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan is congratulated by Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor on taking five wickets at the end of the first ODI at the Harare Sports Club on Friday. Photo: AFP

From a potential batting collapse to winning the game by 155 runs, Bangladesh scripted an applaudable turnaround in the first ODI against Zimbabwe in Harare on Friday. To get the desired outcome, there were a number of boxes that the Tigers had to tick but a few others were still unmarked. Here, we look at both:

BOXES THEY TICKED

One of the top five scores big: "The message from the team management was that one of the top five batsmen needed to bat beyond 40 overs," Liton Das said after making that wish materialise by batting till the 42nd over en route his fourth ODI ton to seal Bangladesh's commanding victory.

Strong finish at the death: Failing to capitalise on a flying start due to a lack of firepower in the lower-order is a problem Bangladesh have been struggling with for years. However, after Liton's well-paced ton revived Bangladesh's innings, cameos from Afif Hossain and Mehedi Hasan Miraz ensured the Tigers posted a commendable total.

Getting early breakthroughs: Pacers Mohammad Saifuddin and Taskin Ahmed need to be credited for their aggression and accuracy on a pitch that had a green tinge and lots of purchase for fast bowlers. After the duo combined to remove Zimbabwe's openers inside five overs, young pacer Shoriful Islam left his mark by sending back Dion Myers in the 11th over.

The Shakib effect: Although there was no respite from his poor run of form with the willow, Bangladesh's premier all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan turned up with the ball in hand. The left-armer was the epitome of how a spinner could use guile and precision to make an impact on a pace-friendly wicket. He ran through the Zimbabwe middle order, picking up the crucial wickets of Brendan Taylor and Regis Chakabva on way to his third five-wicket haul in ODIs.

BOXES THEY DID NOT TICK

Getting the toss right: Although the coin flip depends totally on luck, its importance in giving Zimbabwe the initial edge is undeniable. Understanding the pitch and taking the right decision is key and although Bangladesh lost the toss, they were certainly on the right track as Tamim had mentioned his intention to bowl first on a seaming wicket. Perhaps luck will be on his side in today's second ODI and the southpaw will again make the right call.

Instability in the middle-order: Had it not been for Liton's timely ton, the absence of batting mainstay Mushfiqur Rahim, may have cost the Tigers dearly. Shakib and Mohammad Mithun both got starts but threw their wickets away while Mosaddek Hossain hit a 15-ball five. With Nurul Hasan Sohan, who has vast experience in the domestic circuit, in the squad, the team management could opt for some slight tinkering to the middle-order to bring about greater stability.

Lacking the patience to stick around: This is something that the Tigers need to work on immensely. Even if Tamim's failure to curb his desire to cut a bouncing delivery that was way too close to his body can be excused, what Shakib and Mithun did were unpardonable. Both players seemed to be in a hurry to score quick runs and perished after playing rash, unnecessary shots. The agonising part for fans was that they once again failed to convert after a decent start.

Despite a few drawbacks, Bangladesh were able to stage a comeback and win comprehensively. But the truth is that a low-ranked Zimbabwe's lack of ability played a role in that outcome. The pertinent question now is how far Bangladesh can go in regards to displaying a relatively flawless performance in their second game today.