We have overcome

Just over three years ago the whole nation cried with their beloved Tigers after that heart-breaking 2-run defeat in the Asia Cup final. On that night the moribund Tigers sang in unison 'we shall overcome one day'.

The Tigers did sing the same song at the home of Bangladesh cricket in Mirpur on Sunday but this time with a slightly altered dialect --- We have overcome ….. And so did the whole nation.

The opposition in question on both occasions are Pakistan, a team that looked invincible for the Tigers for a long 16 years. It may be just another game and another win for any other team in the cricketing world. But Sunday's 7-wicket win against Pakistan, fresh after the 79-run triumph two days ago, meant more than just another win. Statistically it won the Tigers the series with a game in hand. But two wins in as many games and that too in such a dominating fashion, where the otherwise predators turned into Tigers' prey, gave a whole new meaning to this fledgling cricking nation which is yet to stop celebrating ever since the start of the World Cup down under in mid February.

A dream passage into the World Cup quarterfinal followed by a historic series win against (an inexperienced) Pakistan. Yes, it's an inexperienced Pakistan team. We do feel for them because they were not up against the so called 'minnows' that world has bracketed the Tigers even after that quarterfinal defeat against India. We want to convey to our most decorated South Asian neighbours that it has so far been a series between an inexperienced side and a ruthless and committed professionals from the 'minnows' of Bangladesh.

I think we should keep on loving this unenviable tag because it will allow -- so far has done so -- the new breed of Tigers to make one statement after another.

The game in Mirpur yesterday, where the Tigers had hardly put a foot wrong apart from that first delivery, a no ball, from Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, was also a display of correcting some individual details. Let's take for instance a back-to-back century by opener Tamim Iqbal that not many among the loyal Tigers' fans, who did not like his 'stop blabbering' signals the other day, had expected, if not wanted.

We believe this process of correction should be more focused than on a whitewash, which is on the cards.