The Tiger brand: A penchant for unwanted surprises

Bangladesh batters have an abundance of tricks in their basket to surprise the audience.

The latest trick that they pulled out of the bag was in the first of the three ODIs against Afghanistan in Sharjah on Wednesday. Nicknamed the 'Tigers', Najmul Hossain and Co showcased a non-Tiger-like phenomenon -- retreating from a position of strength to collapse dramatically as they lost seven wickets in the space of 23 deliveries and 11 runs, suffering a 92-run hammering.

Batting meltdowns are such a regularity in Bangladesh cricket that it takes some special ability to astound the avid fans even with such repeated mediocrity. And, Bangladesh players have a mastery on the subject, reflecting the true brand of the Tigers' cricket as opposed to the one they usually blabber about at pressers.

In chase of a regulation target of 236 runs, the initial fear was regarding the fragile top-order. However, that concern was banished when Bangladesh managed to get a decent start. They managed to cross the 50-run mark without losing more than one wicket -- a rarity considering that in the 10 previous games, they had lost two or more wickets before the team hit fifty on six occasions.

While the aforementioned stat portrays the fragile nature of the top order, the fact that the middle and lower-middle order crumbled in under four overs makes one wonder whether Bangladesh batters, regardless of their position, have a special affinity towards causing self-harm.

Till the beginning of the 31st over, AM Ghazanfar and Rashid Khan had bowled four and six overs, respectively, and were unable to inflict much harm on the Bangladesh batters despite a few close calls here and there. But from that point onward, suddenly the Afghan spin duo was made to look unplayable by the Tigers in a brief disastrous period that brought an end to the game in a huff.

Batting collapses can happen in cricket, albeit not at the high frequency that Bangladesh experience. However, it is the manner in which a team can handle and get out when pushed to a corner that determines the true cricketing quality of a side.

The likes of Shanto, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, and Towhid Hridoy would not need to look far to get a glimpse of how game readability and sensible shot selection by batters can turn things around after a shaky period – their opponents had done it just hours ago in the previous innings when skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi and all-rounder Mohammad Nabi scored fifties to rescue Afghanistan from the depths of 5-71 to posting a respectable total.

Following the game, Bangladesh skipper Shanto took the blame for the defeat against Afghanistan. He mentioned that he should not have gotten out the way he did after being set at the crease.

Shanto probably knew what he had done to give his wicket away after scoring 47 runs. When Afghanistan removed a player from deep square and brought in a second slip, Shanto gave in to the temptation of sweeping Nabi -- just as Afghanistan had wanted -- and top-edged a catch to the man at short fine-leg.

Not only Shanto, but all the Bangladesh batters who threw their wickets away have played cricket at this level long enough to realise what they could have done differently -- and they probably do know where it had gone wrong.

The question is why they keep on collapsing and easily fall prey to the opponents' discernible ploys time and again. As unfortunate as it may sound, it probably is the only way left for the Bangladesh batters to surprise their fans now that they keep on hitting new lows in every format.