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ICC Cricket World Cup 2011: Dhaka targets West Indies team bus following Bangladesh’s embarrassing defeat

Bangladesh's 58 in 2011 is the lowest score by a Test-playing nation in the World Cup.

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Kemar Roach gets rid of Junaid Siddique; do note the lack of expression on Chris Gayle’s face © Getty Images
Kemar Roach gets rid of Junaid Siddique (not in picture); do note the lack of expression on Chris Gayle’s face © Getty Images

Bangladesh cricket reached a nadir on March 4, 2011 when Kemar Roach, Sulieman Benn, and Darren Sammy skittled them out for 58. The humiliation did not go well with the locals, who went after the players. Unfortunately, they chose the wrong bus. Abhishek Mukherjee looks at a day of double humiliation for the hosts.

It was over in 134 minutes and 187 balls. West Indies bowled out Bangladesh for 58 — the lowest score by a Test-playing nation in the World Cup — before Chris Gayle finished things off with a whopping 226 balls to spare. Junaid Siddique and Mohammad Ashraful were the only ones to show some spine against a rampant Caribbean attack.

Shakib Al Hasan batted first, and Tamim Iqbal let two balls from Kemar Roach go past him; he drove the third, and the resultant nick went to the safe hands of Darren Sammy. Two balls later Junaid Siddique went after Roach, and the ball flew over slip. Sammy opened with Sulieman Benn at the other end, and Siddique cover-drove him for four more. Bangladesh reached 13 in 2 overs as Mirpur kept cheering.

Sammy brought himself on in the fourth over and had Imrul Kayes caught-behind off his second ball; little Mushfiqur Rahim was caught at short mid-wicket; Siddique hit two more boundaries before Roach unleashed a yorker that crashed on to his boot. Siddique went for the review, but in vain.

Roach was replaced by Benn after a 5-over spell, and the ploy worked: Shakib, rooted to the crease, played down the wrong line as the ball spun into him and hit timber. Raqibul Hasan edged one from Sammy; Benn found Naeem Islam’s edge with an excellent flighted delivery; and once Roach came back to replace Sammy he removed Ashraful first ball, playing an expansive drive and edging to Devon Thomas in the process.

Benn rounded things off by having Shafiul Islam caught at gully and yorking Rubel Hossain in the space of three balls in the next over. Bangladesh were bowled out for 58 in 18.5 overs, with only Siddique (25) and Ashraful (11) reaching double figures. Roach (6-0-19-3), Benn (5.5-2-18-4), and Sammy (7-0-21-3) all bowled brilliantly, but Bangladesh had only their poor shot selection to blame. Some application should have got them to a respectable total.

Gayle set about the chase with two fours in Rubel’s second over. Naeem had Devon Smith beaten in flight and bowled, but it was never going to be a challenge. Gayle and Darren Bravo took their time, and reached the target in the 13th over. Bangladesh used six bowlers, but surprisingly Shakib came on only when the scores were level.

Wrong number

The spectators were livid. Bangladesh is known for their mercurial fans, and it was only expected that they would erupt. They stoned the team bus, but unfortunately they did not realise that they had chosen the wrong bus to go after. The poor West Indians, who were possibly celebrating after an easy victory and a “half-day” at work, were not amused. Chris Gayle was vocal on Twitter almost immediately.


Fortunately, the West Indians returned to the hotel unharmed, though two window panes were cracked by the stones thrown at them. Ian Pont, Bangladesh’s bowling coach, later told ESPNCricinfo that the Bangladesh team bus was also hit by the mob. Shakib’s residence also met with a similar fate. Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that Bangladesh — players and fans alike — set a terrible example that day, a display not much different from what Eden Gardens put up during World Cup semifinal 1996.

Apology

BanglaCricket, a renowned Bangladesh cricket forum, later issued an apology to the cricketers. They wrote the following message on their Facebook page: “Please send flowers to the West Indies Cricket team staying at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel. No need to make any statement. The flowers will be message enough. Please Copy/Paste this as your status update, call as many people you know in Dhaka, and ask them to do the same. Let’s do this!”

Bangladeshi fans also gathered outside Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka, where the West Indians were put up, with placards and flowers. They also apologised to Shakib and his teammates.

What followed?

 – Bangladesh shocked England with a two-wicket win at Chittagong, but normalcy was restored when at Mirpur shortly afterwards. After South Africa amassed 284 for 8, they succumbed to 78 against Lonwabo Tsotsobe and Robin Peterson. Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel were rested for the match. Bangladesh did not qualify for the quarter-final.

– West Indies went through to the quarter-final but were dished out a ten-wicket by Pakistan at, er, Mirpur. What do they say about cricket being a great leveller?

Lowest scores by Test-playing nations in World Cup

Team

Score

Against

Venue

Year

Bangladesh

58

West Indies

Mirpur

2011

Pakistan

74

England

Adelaide

1992

Bangladesh

78

South Africa

Mirpur

2011

Shortest decided World Cup matches in terms of balls bowled

Balls

Team 1

Score

Overs

Team 2

Score

Overs

Venue

Year

140

Canada

36

18.4

Sri Lanka

37/1

4.4

Paarl

2003

187

Bangladesh

58

18.5

West Indies

59/1

12.2

Mirpur

2011

191

Kenya

69

23.5

New Zealand

72/0

8

Chepauk

2011

Brief scores:

Bangladesh 58 in 18.5 overs (Kemar Roach 3 for 19, Sulieman Benn 4 for 18, Darren Sammy 3 for 21) lost to West Indies 59 for 1 in 12.2 overs by 9 wickets with 226 balls to spare.

Man of the Match: Kemar Roach.

(Abhishek Mukherjee is the Chief Editor and Cricket Historian at CricketCountry. He blogs here and can be followed on Twitter here)

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