Tigers reap rewards of planned attack

Bangladesh have been smart in picking the right bowler for the right moment so far in the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup and on Thursday against the Netherlands, when asked to defend a score for the first time in the tournament, the bowling unit flourished once more through the precise choice of bowlers according to situations.

Chasing a challenging but not improbable 160-run target, Netherlands were at one point running away with the game, needing 61 runs from 42 deliveries with seven wickets in hand.

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After Taskin Ahmed had been hit for a humongous six in the 13th over, which went for 11 runs, the game was slipping.

Shakib Al Hasan, who had been a bit expensive in his first two overs, conceded just five in the 13th. That over raised the asking run-rate to 9.33, increasing the scoreboard pressure on the Dutch who had two set batters at the crease.

Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto then handed the ball to leg-spinner Rishad Hossain for the 15th over, hoping to purchase some wickets.

Holding back Rishad's last two overs for this particular phase worked wonders for Bangladesh as the scoreboard pressure and Rishad's sharp turn broke the game open.

Rishad courageously tossed up deliveries to get purchase and Sybrand Engelbrecht only managed to top-edge the ball to point to depart for 33 off 22. Just one ball later, another flighted delivery saw Bas de Leede get stumped, beaten by the turn.

The two wickets allowed Shakib to bowl another five-run over, before Mustafizur Rahman's death bowling exhibition began.

Mustafizur, who bowled 17 dot balls in the innings, found bite on the surface with his cutters but it was his clever use of angles that really made him almost unhittable.

During the recently-concluded IPL, Mustafizur had been seen using the angle to slant deliveries across right-handers with MS Dhoni standing wide behind the stump. His pace variations and his wide angled deliveries proved too good for the Dutch batters.

Mustafizur is seemingly feeling more confident in using his variations in the death overs, as 46 percent of his deliveries in the death overs have been slower cutters since 2022.

Mustafizur has the joint second-lowest economy-rate among bowlers who have played at least three games at this T20 World Cup and picked up a minimum of four wickets.

With an economy of 3.91, he stands with OEG Baartman (South Africa) and PA van Meekeren (Netherlands) but unlike them, Mustafizur bowls at the death overs.

On Thursday, he bowled the 17th and the 19th over of the game, giving away just four runs, compared to Meekeren, who bowled the 15th and 17th over for his side, conceding 11.

The game was opened up by Rishad but defended by Mustafizur. Shakib, who said Bangladesh's score of 159-5 was challenging, but not a winning one, talked about the bowling plan.

"I think everyone is contributing here, especially the whole bowling unit," Shakib said when asked about Rishad's impact.

"Each of the bowlers are needed at different times in different situations. The way Mustafizur bowled and Taskin and Tanzim Sakib bowled with a new ball, naturally, these contributions are also needed to make another bowler bowl well," he added.

Almost hidden behind the marquee bowlers, part-time off-spinner Mahmudullah Riyad also played a crucial role for Bangladesh, removing the dangerous left-hander Vikramjit Singh in his only over of the match.

Clear and concise, Bangladesh's bowling unit have been decisive in their plans so far, which has put the team on course for a berth in the Super Eight.