Planning and performance paid for the Tigers

Dr. Md. Shairul Mashreque :
What a victory against England in pool A with Rubel showing astouding performance. The day was a red letter day to me and my son who watched the match all along. The target set at 275 was not a big one in such a perfect batting track. Bangladeshi bowlers performed well maintaning tight line and length. As a result wicket fell at regular interval making the target not reachable – thanks to Mashrafi, Rubel, Shakib and Taskin. Mahmudullah deserves commendation for his scientillating century to become man of the match. It was a maiden one in his ODI career and first ever century in WC matches by any Bangladeshi batsman. The victory was a turning point in the history of Bangladesh cricket.
Going back to early days of our cricket in 1999, in their maiden appearance at the World Cup in England, Bangladesh defeated fellow ICC associate Scotland, and then won a match from favorite Pakistan in 1999 World Cup. As a reward of bright performance in ICC and World Cup, Bangladesh was given the status of the 10th test playing nation on the 26 June 2000.
In November 2000, Bangladesh experienced its debut test against India racking up over 400 runs in the first innings with Aminul Islam being the first batsman to score a century in test cricket history of Bangladesh. Then in the second innings team Bangladesh collapsed scoring only 91 runs. India won the test.
Thanks are due to our cricket circle comprising of all ex-veteran cricketers, coach and commentators and the previous and existing members and ex-chairpersons of BCCB who worked with deep devotion to the development of Bangladesh cricket. We convey special thanks to ex-chairman Saber Hossain MP who was in fact the patron of its development. As a connoisseur of cricket he initiated moves to modernize cricket infrastructure, enhancing cricketers’ skills through selection of bowling and batting coach and extended all supports that could be extendable for professionalization of cricket.
It does not mean that we undermine the role of existing Board chairman. He is rising as a role model setting the tone of the amelioration of our cricket status all with his ceaseless and sustained efforts. We recorded a host of test victories in recent years.  
It may be mentioned that in New Zealand’s first decade it played 14 times without wins. Bangladesh played a lot of crickets including one day international and T-Twenty and recorded a score of victories. At the outset of its test competition it was stigmatized with damn defeat being humiliated on a number of times (innings defeats in tests). Our batting was vulnerable. Bowling did not mature enough to bag all 20 wickets in tests. Only in Multan test in Pakistan, Bangladesh lost by only one wicket. We would have won had our captain broken the stamp of a Pak tailender that moved an inch from bowler’s end. However, he demonstrated a high sportsman spirit. While Pakistan captain Rashid Latif ‘wrongly claimed a catch.’ TV replay showed that he had dropped the catch (Raquibul Hasan, Daily Sun, Morning Tea, 21 January, 2010, p. 13)
Team Australia, number one test cricket team a couple of years back, narrowly escaped defeat in Fatullah test (2006) as Ricky Ponting saved his team scoring an unbeaten ton. Australia won by three wickets. A dropped catch at the critical stage mattered a lot. New Zealand, too, won by a narrow margin in two test and ODs in 2008. Ex-cricketer Raquibul Hasan said “History repeated itself in this match once again; one man stood between Bangladesh and victory.”(ibid). Kiwi captain Daniel Vettori scored half century in both innings to steer his team to turn defeat into a victory.
Previously team Bangladesh was so weak as a test team that the experienced cricket sides would feel at home playing against Bangladesh and many a batsman and bowler created records. Australian space bowler Gillespie, who was not an all-rounder but a tailender, scored a double century against Bangladesh as night watchman. We could not develop long match temperament failing in most cases to complete five days test.  
Bangladesh suffered debacle in its last English tour (2010) in both test series and one day. It was down but not out whistling that it was going to be subcontinent’s over dogs
Newspapers around the world welcomed our victories against star-studded and cash -suffocated team, at times the world news papers termed the victories as fluke or and defeat of the over dogs as shock defeat. In practice match in world cup 2007, Bangladesh gave a rude blow to New Zealand.
In whatever way world press views our victory, it goes without saying that team Bangladesh is rising to scale. Our coaches like Gordon Greenidge, Whatmore, Jamie Siddons, Mohsin Kamal, Ian Pont and others were committed to the upgradation of the standard of team Bangladesh. Our Cricket is actually rising to scale with rising superstars in recent times, special thanks to Siddons and bowling coach Ian Pont.
They all endeavor to give a yeoman’s service to Bangladesh cricket boosting the morale and confidence of cricket stars. Space bowlers’ hunting operation was really a meaningful step towards producing young prodigies gifted with fast bowling talents. We have also bright and world class spinners like Razzak, Mahamudullah and Sakib. Their predecessor – M. Rafique – was also a class one spinner bagging more than one hundred wickets in test as well in one day playing a few matches. Our tigers are national heroes playing with a good deal of determination.
Of course second string team Shakib’s performance against West Indies was simply astounding. He said that he wanted to be’ the best player in the world.’ 2-0 trouncing of West Indies in 2007 he was at the forefront with both bat and ball, scoring a century and chipping in with vital wickets. Most importantly, Bangladesh prevailed in one tense finishes in the last test, the kind of matches that they would almost certainly have lost.
In 2009, the Wisden Cricketer named Shakib its Cricketer of the Year – an honour that went to Tamim in 2010. According to a report ‘Shakib warmed up for this season with 35 wickets in the county championship for Worcestershire and it is hard to imagine that there will be a lack of interest from the IPL when the auction rolls around in November.’ In fact, after a long wait Sakibul Hasan found a position in IPL. He is expected to play for Kolkata Night Raider.
Now Bangladesh cricket is at the cross road. Our young prodigies have been showing much promise whistling the hopes of cricket lovers for a better future. They are contributing to the revolution of rising expectations. Now celebration is going on in the country with a profound sense of glory marking a decade of Bangladesh test cricket.
Jubilitions all over the country with enthusistic participation of cricket fans deserves special mention. President Abdul Hamid, PM Sk. Hasina the Speaker and Begum Khaleda Zia greeted Bangladesh cricket team. Celebration is going on across the country with 20 party alliance relaxing hartal to make room for staging victory rally. We think only cricket can ignite patriotism enabling the masses to stand thick and thin. That, our cricket team is rising to scale is due to unprecedented enthusiasm displayed by the young fans.

(Dr. Md. Shairul Mashreque, Professor, Department of Public Administration, Chittagong University, Bangladesh)