2023 was meant to be the yr Bangladesh lastly turned up in an ICC occasion and present the remainder of the world that they had been not pushovers.
As an alternative, staff politics got here to hamper the Tigers terribly, barely scraping to eighth spot with a toothless batting line-up, a bowling assault missing penetration within the center overs and skipper Shakib Al Hasan failing to guide his troops adequately.
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Bangladesh’s selectors opted for a clear out, choosing Najmul Hossain Shanto to turn into the white-ball captain for Bangladesh of their tour of New Zealand, with skilled campaigners Al Hasan and Mahmudullah overlooked.
Previous to this tour, Bangladesh had by no means gained a restricted overs worldwide in New Zealand towards the Black Caps. By the tip of the tour, that they had gained two video games, narrowly shedding a aggressive three-match ODI collection 2-1 and drawing the three-match T20I collection 1-1.
Shanto’s aggressive captaincy when it got here to utilising his seamers was big, alongside giving rookie leg spinner Rishad Hossain the robust overs to create probabilities.
Nevertheless, it didn’t all go rosy for Shanto. Following a 2-1 T20I collection loss to Sri Lanka, Bangladesh would win 4-1 towards Zimbabwe of their subsequent T20 project, though they had been something however complete within the video games they gained, a worrying trait given Zimbabwe had not even certified for the 2024 ICC World T20.
Subsequent got here a three-match T20I collection towards the co-hosts of the 2024 ICC World T20 within the USA. A Take a look at-playing nation with loads of expertise ought to get it performed towards a staff that hasn’t performed a lot cricket collectively, proper?
Not should you’re Bangladesh.
Bangladesh would fail to defend 60 runs of their ultimate 5 overs of the primary T20I and would comply with it up with an unsuccessful run chase of 145 regardless of needing 21 runs from 19 balls with 5 wickets to spare.
Nevertheless, Shanto and the Bangladesh dressing room didn’t panic over their outcomes. Why? As a result of arguably for the primary time in Bangladesh cricket, the lads’s staff had a skipper who was extra targeted on the method than the consequence main into an ICC event.
Najmul Hossain Shanto of Bangladesh celebrates a victory. (Photograph by Matthew Lewis-ICC/ICC by way of Getty Photos)
Certain, Bangladesh had nice outcomes main into previous ICC tournaments, however it led to a false sense of hype earlier than all of it got here crashing down when it got here to performing beneath the large lights.
Regardless of the fixed scrutiny by the nation’s media and extreme trolling by social media customers, Bangladesh headed into the ICC World T20 comparatively calmly as an alternative of Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hassan Papon going off on a tangent criticising each participant/staff choice to the media like he has performed prior to now.
With the primary recreation towards time-out rivals Sri Lanka, it was essential for Bangladesh to start out their event nicely. In spite of everything, Pakistan had seen what a sluggish begin can do on this version of the ICC World T20. Sri Lanka had different concepts although, getting off to a flier, reaching 48 runs for the lack of one wicket after 5 overs.
Previous Bangladesh skippers would panic and go for a defensive choice to hope for a mistake. Not Shanto. He backed Mustafizur Rahman and leg spinner Rishad Hossain to fireplace within the center overs, and boy did they hearth. Hossain and Rahman tore aside the Lankan lineup, because the Lions limped to 9-124 of their allotted 20 overs.
Because of key contributions from Liton Das (36 off 39) and Towhid Hridoy (40 off 20), Bangladesh happily chased down 125 with two wickets to spare in one other thrilling Bangladesh versus Sri Lanka modern-day basic. Shanto backed his bowlers as soon as once more on an up and down New York floor towards South Africa, however poor batting from the highest order noticed Bangladesh fail to chase down 114.
In a must-win recreation towards the Netherlands, a much-needed half century from Al Hasan noticed the Tigers set the Dutch a goal of 160. At 3/111 midway by way of the fifteenth over, the Netherlands had been set for one more win towards Bangladesh in an ICC event.
As an alternative, Hossain triumphed with high quality legspin, taking three wickets in his ultimate 9 balls as Bangladesh gained by 25 runs. The batting woes would proceed towards associates Nepal, however the Bangladesh bowlers would do their job defending 106 with ease in a 21-run victory.
Quick bowlers and leg spinners are handled with the utmost disrespect in Bangladesh. In case you’re a bowler who doesn’t bowl left arm off spin on turning pitches, chances are high you’ll get bugger all overs to bowl in home cricket. But these two elements have led to Bangladesh inflicting havoc with the ball within the 2024 ICC World T20, and it takes a courageous captain to steer away from the traditional techniques in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh have been aggressive in all of their video games to date, rightfully incomes their first Tremendous Eight spot within the ICC World T20 in 17 years. They enter the second stage of the World T20 excessive on confidence and perception. And with momentum on Bangladesh’s facet, something is feasible.
Nevertheless, there may be nonetheless a obvious downside that plagues Bangladesh, and Shanto will know that himself: an absence of top-order runs which has put stress on the center and decrease order to do extra work than required with the bat.
Shanto the skipper has stood up for Bangladesh to date on this event. Towards three high quality bowling assaults within the Tremendous Eights, it’s time for Shanto the batter to step up and make some much-needed runs for himself and for the nation.
If Shanto, Liton Das and Tanzid Hasan Tamim step up with the bat, Bangladesh and their fan-base will proceed to think about their staff. That is Najmul Hossain Shanto’s staff. And boy has he introduced again perception into the Bangladesh staff after a uninteresting interval.
