Treated like a poor relative!

DR. Mazharul Haque, provost of Salimullah Muslim Hall during my time at the Dhaka University, around the mid sixties, shared a personal anecdote with me. His PhD supervisor was asked by a fellow academic over to his house for a supper he had organised for some faculty members, with these rather casual unguarded words that one gets to hear in social circles often: 'You, too, are invited'. Dr. Haque's mentor was furious at the fling of word 'too' and declined the invitation outright out of a hurt sense of dignity.

I am somehow reminded of this tale when our bowling prodigy Mustafizur Rahman makes it to the twelfth man's position in the best WT20 eleven selected by the International Cricket Council (ICC) lately. He couldn't be ignored and so he had to be pulled on to a slot, whether he liked it or not, and his country got an undeserved pinprick.

It is claimed that statistics were used but were not the sole basis of selection. What was then the criterion? For, if it were the invisible hands of the sponsors' influence then it should have valued the mesmerising quality of Mustafiz's bowling. Actually, the overall performance of Bangladesh team brought tremendous entertainment value on the tournament format as a whole. Cricket commentators in the international media were abuzz with praise and good suggestions for the future of Bangladesh cricket. 

One has only to wistfully remember the Bangladesh-Australia and Bangladesh-India matches which were closely fought encounters giving ample entertainment to cricket-lovers. Soumya Sarkar's two superb catches out of ten best listed spoke of his athleticism and presence of mind. Altogether it made Kapil Dev bet on Bangladesh team as world winner in five years. 

Back to Mustafiz magic, after all he played three of the seven matches taking nine wickets standing fifth among the ten best performers. He has to his credit the best bowling figure in a match i.e. 5/22 against formidable New Zealand followed by Australian pacer James Faulkner's five scalps conceding 27 runs against Pakistan.

Had he played the four matches he missed because of his shoulder injury he would have been the best bowler of the tournament -- by far. 

Presumably on the above grounds, the popular ESPN Cricinfo chose Mustafizur Rahman among its best eleven. 

With no umbrage taken of the selectors, it needs to be said in all fairness,s that Bangladesh cricket would have been better served had Mustafizur Rahman been excluded rather than being included in a perfunctory manner. More to the point, what inspiration is he to derive as a promising star from a compliment which is at best a left-handed one. It is treating him like a poor relative, being in it but not fully in it. It is as though conferring 'platinum' status on him without the benefit of even complimentary breakfast or welcome gifts, only early check in.

What are we blowing the hot air for? One may argue that this naming the best eleven it is a pro forma, ritualistic and theoretical exercise with no real time or virtual significance about it. Although it has been claimed with a huffed chest that 'a balanced side has been picked' that is 'capable of beating any opposition under any conditions', most certainly it wouldn't be fielded against any side to be tested for its worth. 

The country distribution is interesting in the 12-man team: Four players from England, two players each from India and the West Indies, and one each from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Bangladesh. Virat Kohli has been made captain. If you read between the lines England has been consoled for its defeat in a ruthless manner which is why West Indies could qualify for two entries. India got two but with the captaincy going to Virat Kohli. 

These appear like moves on the chess board keeping in view the gate money outpourings from encounters with and in India, franchise cricket included and bolstering the prospect of competitive cricket all around. The circuit is thus well-defined. We would like to add Bangladesh cricket team's engaging qualities backed by a cricket hinterland the country offers in terms of the economics of the game.

Incidentally, sports website Sportsweaki has constituted a flop cricket eleven. In that team our Mushfiqur Rahim takes place with some heavyweight cricketing figures, something he can perhaps derive some consolation from. Mushfiqur will come good one day with his Mr. Dependable nickname.

The writer is Associate Editor, The Daily Star.