DHAKA: Late Monsoon rain caused the final match of the OBHAI Tri Nation T20 series abandoned without a bowl being bowled. With no provision for a reserve day and per rules of the tournament Bangladesh and Afghanistan were declared joint winners much to the disappointment of expectant cricket admirers. Afghanistan was the favorite. But Bangladesh winning two matches on a trot in the second leg of the tournament, found the winning formula for turning the table on the favorites. Afghanistan however lost the winning momentum after loosing two back to back matches at Chattogram. In any case it could be a fascinating contest. Bangladesh desperately required winning the trophy for boosting their morale. Bangladesh would play against strong India next in tests and T20 in India. Afghanistan would lock horns with West Indies in their adopted home in India.
Afghanistan came to Bangladesh with a mission. They beat Bangladesh convincingly in the one off test and also had their mission fulfilled in sharing the championship with the host of T20 championship. It was a great achievement for rookies in Test cricket winning their second match in only their third test after getting test status. It may be mentioned that they lost their first test to strong India, won the very next against Ireland. Winning a test against Bangladesh playing test cricket for twenty years in Bangladesh home ground was a great achievement.
These days, cricket is played round the year even during high monsoon. Hope in future if such tournament is scheduled during high monsoon BCB would provide for a reserve day at least for the final.
Looking back in retrospect Bangladesh had a sigh of relief that they could share the championship in rain ruined final matches. If the match was played and Bangladesh lost it could be a big blow to the reputation of the team. It was not unlikely as well as Afghanistan is much superior team in T20 format having some world class performers. Bangladesh organizes BPL for the last several years. BCB takes pride in organizing this tournament. All its national players appear only in this T20 format of the game at home other than playing in international matches. The diabolic performance in test against the rookie of test cricket and inconsistent performance in T20 evidenced lack of proper planning and weak domestic format of cricket.
The test match against Afghanistan and Tri Nation T20 series has provided useful lessons to learn for Bangladesh. Proper planning has facilitated Afghanistan forming nucleus of different teams for different formats. They could produce pipelines of quality young players. Even their age group teams have quality cricketers. In very limited windows of opportunity Afghanistan has organized a suitable domestic format. Bangladesh playing cricket for several players is still can not form a good enough test team and T20 squad .Their only notable success is in ODI and that too for the contribution of five senior players most of whom would not be playing in another four to five years.
Bangladesh openers failed in almost every match. Middle order also collapsed regularly. Young Affif salvaged once, Mahmudullah and Shakib produced two match winning innings. It was proved from the performance of Saifuddin, Shafiul and Mustafiz that stressing on spin attack was poor vision.
There are few positives as well. Affif would a good all rounder to invest. Saifuddin and Mosaddeq are maturing. Aminul can be the wrist spinning all rounder Bangladesh is looking for.
Another lesson is that Bangladesh hardly makes any home work about its opponents. Afghans have world class spinners – leg spinners, quality off spinners, left arm china man bowler. Obviously they are better players of spin. Bangladesh could have prepared grass top pacey wicket in test against Afghanistan. But the wicket was flat. Bangladesh appeared with all spin attack. On that wicket Afghanistan played proper test cricket but Bangladesh batted, bowled and fielded poorly losing big . Bangladesh for performing better in test cricket must work to produce quality pace bowlers and wrist spinners. There must be pacey wickets for domestic cricket. National players must play regularly in longer version domestic cricket.
Bangladesh would play two tests and a T20 series against India in India. Next Year Bangladesh would play in T20 world cup. Bangladesh would need to smarten their pace attack. And will need variety in spin attack. Batting looks fragile. Unless Shakib, Mushfique or Mahmudullah bat well Bangladesh can not win matches. One of the reasons is inconsistency of team selection. If Bangladesh has to grow from where it is or even maintain the present standard the planning must be proper. Domestic cricket structure must be scrutinized, cricket operation must be truly professional and accountable.
Hope the lessons learned from the shocking defeat in OBHAI only test and inconsistent performance in T20 series would serve as wake up call for Bangladesh cricket.
BDST: 1533 HRS, SEP 25, 2019
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