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Team Tigers In Tight Leash

Saleque Sufi | banglanews24.com
Update: 2021-02-14 11:36:35
Team Tigers In Tight Leash

On February 14, Valentines day when Bangladesh Cricket team appears in uneven contest at SBNCS, there would not be red roses rolled out to them as token of love. Red-hot Caribbean cricketers would first endeavor batting Bangladesh out of the game and then crashing them to another humiliating defeat and letting them succumb to series whitewash. Team tigers have to prove equal to their tasks. Roaring like Royal Bengal they must try achieving the still achievable win. The task is well cut out. Series whitewash is looming for Bangladesh trailing by 0-1 in the two test series. It will be a total disgrace for Bangladesh if this under strength West Indies team unleashes series white wash. How can Bangladesh reverse the tide?

We know how brilliant late middle order batting led the tourist to the present impregnable position. Scoring 409 in the first innings when, Nrumah Bonner (90) Joshua Da Silva (92) and Aljarri Joseph (82) the tourist wrested the control of the Dhaka test out of Bangladesh. Bangladesh started disastrously loosing Soumya (0) and Shanto (4). Tamim (44) and Mominul (21) instead of grinding and grafting which Pujara, Fawad Alom, Williamson and Root do these days tried counterattacking playing in T20 mode. Consequently Bangladesh was tottering at 4/71 at a crucial stage. Mushfique and Mominul tried applying themselves. There was some hope when Bangladesh started day three. But lack of patience and strong will made tigers throw away the opportunity. Would blame Mr. Dependable Mushfique for a very irresponsible stroke (reverse sweep against Rakheem). He gifted away his wicket after setting root at the wicket. Bangladesh 6/155 was in the risk of following on. However, application of Liton (71) and Mehedy (57) saved Bangladesh from total humiliation. They could deliver more. But lack of experience of playing longer version put paid. Both got out to combine efforts of Rakheem and Gabriel. Bangladesh conceded 113 runs lead.

Going by the development of the series West Indies won Chottogram test even after conceding 171 runs first innings lead scoring 397 in the fourth Innings. Bangladesh at stumps of day three is trailing by only 154.  West Indies has 7 wickets at hand. Unfortunately Bonner, Mayers, Joshua, Joseph all are still unbeaten. The wicket is turning and gripping. Can Mehedi, Naeem, Taijul, Rahi decimate WI innings to manageable proportion. It is very much possible. But for that happening Bangladesh need restricting the target between 225-250. Anything beyond that may not be achieved by Bangladesh on day four and day five. 

Team tigers are in tight leash. Batting on day four and five on a weaning wicket against good attack is not going to be easy. Mayer’s like heroics happens once in a blue moon. 

We hope there would not be any love lost on Valentines Day.  Let it be “It is what it is “. There is no pint dying wondering. Bangladesh cannot win the series in any case. But white wash would be disgraceful. Hope Tamim, Soumya, Shanto, Mominul, Mushfique, Meraj, Mithun, Liton would raise hands and turn the tide. That would be hundreds of red roses for aspiring Bangladeshi Cricket admirers on Valentines Day.

BDST: 1136 HRS, FEB 14, 2021
SMS

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