Not yet a decade old as a Test playing nation, the weight of expectation should not yet come to rest too heavily on the shoulders of the Bangladesh cricket team. Although exhibiting steady improvement, we are still some way off the calibre that should draw this often crippling, often reinvigorating burden as well. Such measures of proportionality however, are chucked out the window when you are representing the nation in a sport akin to its religion. So naturally, as we count down the days to the 2007 World Cup, there is much deliberation on our fate in the competition decorating that age-old passion of Bengal, adda, wherever and whenever it is taking place. Millions of predictions have already been made I’m sure, and no less hopes expressed, dreams manufactured or expectations declared. This is one not unlike any of those, in three parts.

 

March 17,
Bangladesh v
India Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad

We all know giants are at their most vulnerable when they have only just gotten on their feet. India have come into the tournament on the back of some pretty good form, but form counts for nothing on match-day. The breeze is light, the sun is a roar, and the pitch is a road. We radiate positive attitude right from the start, picking four seamers and choosing to bat on winning the toss. For affirmation, Shahriar cuts Pathan behind point for two consecutive boundaries as the first over yields eleven. If often we suffer from confidence crises as a result of poor starts, this was certainly not going to be one of those occasions. The openers are separated in the eleventh over, but not before they have put on 54. Certainly solid, with much potential for being the foundation of a good total. The middle-order, featuring Ashraful promoted to number 4, manages to build on that such that we enter the slog overs with six wickets in hand and 188 on the board. Ashraful is set, batting on 46.The last ten overs go for 81 as Mashrafee, promoted up the order at the death, blasts a few into the neighbourhood and one out to sea. 269/7 off fifty overs is good by anybody’s standard. Ashraful is top-scorer with 73, repaying Bashar’s continued faith in him.

 

However solid that total,
India are still favourites. Early wickets are essential to sow the seeds of doubt. And Mashrafee, our young stallion, comes up with the goods in a stirring opening spell of five overs in which he removes Ganguly and Sehwag, and concedes only sixteen runs. Tendulkar comes in at 26/2, seven overs bowled. He stays till Mashrafee comes back for his second spell, by then having steadied the ship alongside Dravid in 112-run partnership for the fourth wicket. With ten overs to go,
India have five wickets left and 77 more to get. We are certainly in with an even chance, but have to hold our nerves. It is then that young Mushfiqur makes his first mistake of the day, missing a regulation catch that would have sent back Dravid off the bowling of Tapash. Khaled Mashud’s name is mentioned under the breath of every Bangladeshi in the planet except Bashar, who shows his growing maturity as a captain by not letting his head hang, putting a much needed arm of assurance around the young wicketkeeper’s shoulders. But the Indian captain is not one to offer second chances, and duly keeps his cool as wickets tumble around him to guide his team through to a narrow two-wicket victory in the 49th over.

Bangladesh have been beaten, but far from bowed. And we have a performance to build on against Sri Lanka.