Inconsistency is the biggest worry for Bangladesh cricket

The sight of a Bangladesh defeat has become a very frequent occurrence and reflects a very sorry state of affairs for that cricket-crazy nation. It is a team that boasts of enormous potential, producing the odd spark of brilliance, but more often than not failing to live up to promise.

By Nishad Pai Vaidya

Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent – Calvin Coolidge
The sight of a Bangladesh defeat has become a very frequent occurrence and reflects a very sorry state of affairs for that cricket-crazy nation. It is a team that boasts of enormous potential, producing the odd spark of brilliance, but more often than not failing to live up to promise. For years, cricket fans have been waiting for a strong Bangladesh side to take the world by storm and challenge the very best on a consistent basis. It’s been an agonising wait that has worsened with every passing game.

 

While one may not have expected Bangladesh to beat Pakistan in the first game of the Asia Cup at Dhaka, but the fact is that they could very have achieved that. There were moments in the game when the hosts had the upper hand and with the opportunity to put massive pressure on Pakistan. However, the junctures where they lost the plot due to some poor cricket were symptomatic of Bangladesh’s woes over the years. These moments indicated inconsistency and the lack of temperament – fatal ingredients to a team’s victorious dreams.

 

Bangladesh had actually done very well to restrict Pakistan to 262. At 160 for one in 32.4 overs, a 300 plus total was certainly on the cards – a score that would have put Bangladesh out of the game. The left-arm spinners – Bangladesh’s biggest strength – kept it tight and built the pressure to inhibit Pakistan’s charge. This was complemented by good athletic fielding and an inspired spell by Shahadat Hossain.Pakistan’s tail hung around till the 50^th over and even then Bangladesh would have considered themselves in with a chance.

 

Despite the fantastic recovery by the bowlers, the batting flattered to deceive. The 21-run defeat reflects a close affair, but a closer look at the scorecard tells an interesting story. Off the top seven, five managed to get starts and three converted them into good scores. Most of the dismissals were results of poor shot selection. The smooth-sailing ship was rocked by these unnecessary brainwaves as the situation demanded a sensible approach.

 

Nazimuddin played a few good shots until the temptation to clear the boundaries got the better of him. Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim played down the wrong line when they could have presented the full face of the bat. It is almost as if some of these batsmen are too eager to score and a few dot balls trouble their minds to the extent of forcing them to do something silly. This has been a feature of their cricket as batsmen have lost their wicket playing too many shots. It is only in isolated games that they have shown the application and temperament to stay in the middle and build an innings.

 

Shakib Al Hasan is the only Bangladesh batsman who shows the intent to occupy the crease on regular basis. He is undoubtedly their best player- with both bat and ball. His approach with the bat is a huge lesson for his team-mates and they need to pick up finer points from his performances. He doesn’t look to play too many shots and tries to work the ball around, keeping the scoreboard ticking. Whenever a loose ball comes his way, he doesn’t hold back in giving it a thump. Through all that he maintains a very good strike-rate- a hallmark of a world class one-day player.

 

If Bangladesh are to succeed in international cricket, they need to sort out their mindset. It has become clear over the years that there is no dearth of talent in Bangladesh. Players like Tamim, Shakib, Mashrafe Mortaza and Mushfiqur, to name a few, are no ordinary players and can be blended to make the team a good unit. Their first target area for improvement should be their batting, which has been a huge let-down on numerous occasions. The bowling is in a relatively better shape due to the presence of good left-arm spinners, but that can improve several notches as well.

 

Their performances in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 was brilliant – a campaign in which they stunned India. That successful campaign promised to herald a new era – one in which they were expected to transform into a competitive force. Five years down the line, Bangladesh are an improved side and have stronger players in their setup. But, at the back of the 2007 success, one would have expected them in a much better place than where they are now.

 

The support Bangladesh enjoys from their fans is tremendous. Despite the unpredictability in performances, they still turn up in their numbers and cheer for their side with the hope of a better tomorrow. One can only imagine their hurt and anguish. For that passionate support, Mushfiqur’s men need to lift their morale and aim for higher honours in the future.

 

However, there is one incident that reflects a worrying mindset. During last years’ World Cup, Tamim attacked   statements questioning Bangladesh’s progress over the last decade. In response, the Bangladesh opener stated “could you please remind him what we did four years ago?” referring to the famous victory over India in the 2007 World Cup.

 

The question is: Are these players still hung up over their sporadic successes over the years? Does it indicate a denial of their erratic performances? If these statements are to be taken seriously, then it is difficult to expect progress.

 

Bangladesh cannot be satisfied with a fighting performance or a rare victory. They need to deliver on the world stage. Consistency is missing big time.

 

(Nishad Pai Vaidya, a 21-year-old law student, is a club and college-level cricketer. His teachers always complain, “He knows the stats and facts of cricket more than the subjects we teach him.”)

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