The signs of growing T20I mentality

Is this really a new Bangladesh?

The ongoing T20I series against Ireland has seen Bangladesh turn their dismal T20I record on its head and the disparity in the team's approach compared to past matches has not only been a thing of beauty but also amazement.

Inevitably, that begs the question of what desirable changes have occurred to facilitate this change.

One key aspect and perhaps most crucial is how the players have been enamoured to be playing alongside star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, the captain fantastic who seems to be turning over a new leaf. His devotion to the cause and hands-on approach -- in building the side from the England T20Is -- has seen the rest show a keenness to shoulder responsibility.

The approach itself had come from Shakib, who would go about his power-hitting drills at the centre pitches during whatever practice session he found himself in. It started from the BPL two years ago, continued in the last BPL and by the time the team went to Chattogram, the likes of Najmul Hossain, Towhid Hridoy, Liton Das, Rony Talukdar and Shamim Patwary were lining up alongside Shakib at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium to see who was getting the most effective connection to clear the ropes.

It may have seemed like a fun practice drill, but those sessions had an impact. And when the captain, along with an experienced coach such as Chandika Hathurusingha, emphasises the need for aggression inside the dressing room, that approach becomes clearer in the players' minds. The belief that they can do more has been gaining ground since a historic T20I clean sweep against England.

After a convincing 77-run win yesterday, where individual records and team records tumbled again, the aggression factor and the need of the hour was expressed by the captain again.

"We've discussed our aggressive approach and need to do it to be an aggressive, competitive side. Luckily it's coming off," he said at the post-match presentation yesterday.

He sent his squad the message that there would be no let-off in terms of approach in the last T20I. "We will not be complacent. Maybe try new guys," he said about the team selection for the third T20I, expecting similar intensity.

While players are being given confidence, the selection has been done with intent. Hridoy and Rony got into the side because they carried their approach from the BPL to the England T20Is, even if they did not manage big scores. Afif Hossain and Mahmudullah Riyad had to make way, with the message being to improve on certain aspects according to roles.

The third biggest factor has been a lack of power-hitting. There was always a smart solution at play which the Tigers have often floundered at as they looked to make up for a lack of power.

The way Liton goes about things shows it can also be about technique. The way Liton and Rony began in both T20Is saw Bangladesh put up big Powerplay scores and yesterday toppled the record for Tigers' fastest fifty.

The fact that timing and intent is just as crucial as power was showcased by the top order. There is a nuance there and although it may not always bear fruit, it is an approach which will also bring more success. But only time will tell if it can find consistency.

Records keep tumbling

Liton Das played his career-best T20I innings, scoring 83 runs off 41 balls while bagging the record of the fastest fifty scored in this format for Bangladesh. He took only 18 balls to reach the personal milestone as he went past Mohammad Ashraful's 20-ball fifty against West Indies in 2007.

Openers Liton and Rony Talukdar stitched the biggest opening stand for the country as they added 124 runs in just 9.2 overs, surpassing the 102 which Mohammad Naim Sheikh and Soumya Sarkar tallied against Zimbabwe in 2021. This was also the Tigers' second-highest partnerships for any wicket in T20Is, eight behind Tamim Iqbal-Mahmudullah Riyad's unbeaten 132 for the second wicket against West Indies in Mirpur in 2012, where Bangladesh lost by 18 runs. 

Captain Shakib Al Hasan's second T20I fifer took him past Tim Southee [134 wickets] to become the highest wicket-taker in the format. The left-arm spinner, who now has 136 wickets in 114 matches, also became the first Bangladeshi to pick two five-wicket hauls in T20Is.

Bangladesh achieved their record of scoring the fastest team fifty and fastest team hundred in T20Is, courtesy of Liton and Rony. The Tigers raced to their 50 in 3.3 overs and 100 in 7.1 overs.

The 77-run win was Bangladesh's second-largest margin of victory in terms of runs, seven runs short of the one achieved against Papua New Guinea at the 2021 World Cup in Oman.