Cricket

Bangladesh’s pace assembly line now up and running

Iqbal Hossain Emon
Bangladesh U-19 team pacer Iqbal Hossain Emon (R). Photo: ACC

Chances of Taskin Ahmed waking up super early in St Kitts, take time out of his preparation for the first ODI against West Indies to watch the final of the Under-19 Asia Cup in the UAE yesterday are quite slim.

But if he did do so, or at least tuned in for the 21st over of Bangladesh's defense, a wry smile perhaps broke through in his face.

In that over, pacer Iqbal Hossain Emon got the dangerous-looking KP Karthikeya and Nikhil Kumar out in space three deliveries, both getting caught behind.

The dismissals were crucial for Bangladesh as they left India five down for 73, chasing 199. But for Taskin, the amusing part would have been what happened after.

Emon, who emerged as the tournament's highest wicket-taker with 13 scalps and was named the player-of-the-final and the tournament, celebrated both wickets in the same way, running in a straight-line with arms stretched wide and the index fingers pointing outwards while being chased by his overjoyed teammates.

This celebration, from start to finish, feels like an homage to Taskin, who for around a decade has been celebrating in the same manner after getting batters caught behind.

Taskin, who debuted for Bangladesh in 2014, was present from the nascent stage of Bangladesh's pace bowling revolution, which is now kicking into full gear.

This year's U-19 Asia Cup showed that the country's fast bowling assembly line is bury at work, churning out new prospects. Emon grabbed most of the headlines as the highest wicket-taker but breathing down his neck was Al Fahad, who finished as the second highest wicket-taker with 12 wickets.

Pace-bowling all-rounder Rizan Hossain also played a decent role with six scalps in five games while Maruf Mridha took five wickets in three games and Saad Islam took one in his lone appearance.

Bangladesh fielded four fast bowling options in four of their five games in the Asia Cup. Only in the final group-stage match against Sri Lanka, the went with three pacers and it was also the only match in the campaign they lost.

In the all-important final, Maruf and Fahad gave India no breathing space in their opening spell, expertly blending aggression with skills, and after them Emon and Rizan joined the attack and continued building pressure, which resulted in the Indian batters losing their nerves and surrendering.

Coming back to Emon's Taskin-esque celebration, only he can say whether it was an intentional homage or not. But if he can grow strength from strength, it would be a matter of time before he can celebrate this way side by side with Taskin.

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Bangladesh’s pace assembly line now up and running

Iqbal Hossain Emon
Bangladesh U-19 team pacer Iqbal Hossain Emon (R). Photo: ACC

Chances of Taskin Ahmed waking up super early in St Kitts, take time out of his preparation for the first ODI against West Indies to watch the final of the Under-19 Asia Cup in the UAE yesterday are quite slim.

But if he did do so, or at least tuned in for the 21st over of Bangladesh's defense, a wry smile perhaps broke through in his face.

In that over, pacer Iqbal Hossain Emon got the dangerous-looking KP Karthikeya and Nikhil Kumar out in space three deliveries, both getting caught behind.

The dismissals were crucial for Bangladesh as they left India five down for 73, chasing 199. But for Taskin, the amusing part would have been what happened after.

Emon, who emerged as the tournament's highest wicket-taker with 13 scalps and was named the player-of-the-final and the tournament, celebrated both wickets in the same way, running in a straight-line with arms stretched wide and the index fingers pointing outwards while being chased by his overjoyed teammates.

This celebration, from start to finish, feels like an homage to Taskin, who for around a decade has been celebrating in the same manner after getting batters caught behind.

Taskin, who debuted for Bangladesh in 2014, was present from the nascent stage of Bangladesh's pace bowling revolution, which is now kicking into full gear.

This year's U-19 Asia Cup showed that the country's fast bowling assembly line is bury at work, churning out new prospects. Emon grabbed most of the headlines as the highest wicket-taker but breathing down his neck was Al Fahad, who finished as the second highest wicket-taker with 12 wickets.

Pace-bowling all-rounder Rizan Hossain also played a decent role with six scalps in five games while Maruf Mridha took five wickets in three games and Saad Islam took one in his lone appearance.

Bangladesh fielded four fast bowling options in four of their five games in the Asia Cup. Only in the final group-stage match against Sri Lanka, the went with three pacers and it was also the only match in the campaign they lost.

In the all-important final, Maruf and Fahad gave India no breathing space in their opening spell, expertly blending aggression with skills, and after them Emon and Rizan joined the attack and continued building pressure, which resulted in the Indian batters losing their nerves and surrendering.

Coming back to Emon's Taskin-esque celebration, only he can say whether it was an intentional homage or not. But if he can grow strength from strength, it would be a matter of time before he can celebrate this way side by side with Taskin.

Comments