Bangladesh may have emerged as the runners up in the Asia Cup, but they have every reason to be optimistic about the future. Bangladesh’s strong showing in the Asia Cup is cause for cheer.
Bangladesh almost scored a hat-trick of successful chases against three teams who have each won the world cup: India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Pakistan in the beginning and Pakistan in the end proved to be their undoing. But in the end they just lost by 2 runs in the final and took it to the last ball!
In the 2007 World Cup, India was kicked out thanks to their poor performance. But this Asia Cup, Bangladesh gave one of their strongest performances thrashing both India and Sri Lanka.
Bangladesh has truly entered a new era of cricket and from now on no ODI team will ever take them lightly.
But it has been such a long journey...
An upset here and there
There was a time when Bangladesh was only able to manage an upset here and an upset there. The journey from that to the Asia Cup has been a long one.
Bangladesh made its debut in 1986 and after 22 straight ODI losses, won against Kenya in 1998.
Its first win against a Top 8 team came in the very next year in the 1999 World Cup when it posted 223-9 against Pakistan and got the opposition 161 all down. That was an all-round effort as no Bangladeshi batsman managed to make a half-century and no bowler grabbed a 4-wicket haul. But it had to wait five long years before it managed to beat another Top 8 nation in the form of India. It was again a bat first and put the opposition under pressure during a chase affair.
In the same year came its finest moment when Bangladesh chased 250 against World Champions Australia in the final over thanks to a brilliant century by Mohammad Ashraful.
In 2006 in their first successful chase against a Top 8 nation, they beat Sri Lanka.
They got the better of India again in the 2007 World Cup when they thrashed India to send them hurtling out of the tournament. In its other league match, Bangladesh had Bermuda on the mat at 94/9. However in the next stage of the tournament they flattered to deceive when they beat South Africa, but got thrashed by every other team in the Super 8s.
After that though the wins came regularly against Zimbabwe and Associate nations, victories against the Top 8 became sparse.
Finally in 2010 they came of age when they blanked New Zealand 4-0 in an ODI series on home soil.
In the 2011 World Cup also they managed to upset England.
Surely A bright ODI future…
But who knows! Now Bangladesh can well dream of winning major tournaments.
The Playing XI which played in the final has achieved an exciting amount of youth and maturity and will be capable of many more things in the years to come.
The nucleus of the team is being formed.
All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has more than 3500 runs and 150 wickets. Tamim Iqbal has more than 3000 runs and captain Mushfiqur Rahim more than 2000. Abdur Razzak and Mashrafe Mortaza have both taken 150 wickets each. Mushfiqur is just 23 years of age and may well lead Bangladesh to many more victories. As wicket-keeper he also has more than 100 dismissals to his credit.
Bangladesh is truly emerging as a fine ODI team. BPL has played a great part for the players. They have the self belief and the professional as well as an attacking approach now. Now no team can take them easily. India have played the price twice for doing so.
I am a die-hard fan of TEAM INDIA....But the spirit of Bangladesh team and the supporters made me support them in the finals. The way they played the tournament, They truly deserved the Asia Cup. Better Luck next time......
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