Tigers burning bright: Mashrafe Mortaza’s Bangladesh have come a long way in the shortest format

Bangladesh, who shot into fame after beating India in the 2007 World Cup, have come a long way and registered their best ODI year in, eight years after the famous upset.

Their ‘best year’ wasn’t a fluke. The Tigers have beaten three top sides in the space of four months and in the process they have changed the outlook and impressions of their nation in the minds of the opposition. 

Bangladesh, it is now safe to say, have turned a new chapter in international cricket. The familiarities of winning matches, especially at home, have become a regular habit. Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan says the team is in a learning curve.

“Our mindset has certainly changed a lot over the last three four years. Now we k n o w how we can win games. We have m o r e contributors. Previously there used to be two or three guys and now there are four or five rising to the occasion. These are the big changes. 

Obviously because we were playing at home and were doing well. That confidence gave us a chance to show that even in different conditions we can do well,” Shakib said. Indian pace bowler Ashish Nehra, too, is of the opinion that Bangladesh is a force to reckon with. 

“Bangladesh are doing well, especially in this format. You name them – Tamim (Iqbal), Mustafizur (Rahman) - there are so many new cricketers coming up. They have been part of IPL, Caribbean and Big Bash leagues. 

T20 is great for all teams and cricket is going globally. It’s not just good for Bangla cricket, but good for world cricket the way Bangla cricket is growing,” Nehra said adding that no team can take Bangladesh lightly. 

After attaining Test status donkey’s years ago, Bangladesh have played 93 Tests and have lost 71 of them. In T20s, a winning percentage of less than 30, doesn’t look impressive either but their exploits in ODIs have made Bangladesh a team to watch out for. 

And they are rising, slowly in the shortest format too. No one expected the world to take note when Bangladesh drubbed Zimbabwe 5-0 in a series late in 2014, but that’s where the rise started. An able captain in Mashrafe Mortaza and a coach in Chandika Hathurasingha gelled the team into a formidable unit. 

Bangladesh had their moments in the sun in the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. They eliminated England from the Cup and then Pakistan went to Bangladesh. Bangladesh marked their first win over Pakistan in 16 years and in the process pocketed the series 3-0. 

A lone T20 was won convincingly too. And later Bangladesh beat India 2-1 and accounted for South Africa 2-1, after losing the first game. And Bangladesh cricket took a rebirth. Keen to prove that they are a team to watch out for in the shortest format too Bangladesh continued their limited overs form into the T20s as well in the Asia Cup by beating Pakistan and Sri Lanka before setting up a date with India in the final. 

However, the pressure of doing everything right in every format seemed to have got the better of them. Their performances in T20s haven’t risen up to the expectations, yet but flashes of brilliance are visible. The T20 World Cup, too, hasn’t gone their way. 

After losing to Pakistan, the Tigers fought valiantly and almost pulled off an upset against Australia before the Oz huffed and puffed across the line. The likes of Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman briefly put Australia in a spot of bother as Bangladesh sniffed an elusive win. However, the experience of not playing in the shortest format in crunch games did them in.