A close look into Bangladesh performance over the past six matches on international cricket played in known accustomed surfaces and environment would evidence how inconsistent they are across different formats on different days.
Two test matches and two ODIs were won with dominating performances. Bangladesh looked pretty ordinary in the one ODI and one T20 match defeat. Almost the same players appeared across the formats but the performances were so inconsistent. This West Indies team is a shadow of its glorious past. They are in mission for retracing glory .There are few high quality young players. But as the team they are not yet a potent force for delivering dividends consistently. If one compares the matches Bangladesh lost with the matches they won one would get puzzled about inconsistencies.
Particularly shocking was the performance in the first T20 match played at Sylhet where Bangladesh lost by 8 wickets with almost half of the allotted 20 overs left in the Bangladesh. Bangladesh was bruised, battered and humiliated as they were bundled out for 129 on a not too difficult wicket for batting. There was no demon in the wicket as evidenced from top quality batting by Shakib Al Hasan for Bangladesh and four West Indians they required to bat. Critics made their own analysis. But ordinary cricket admirers are puzzled and confused.
Tamim, Liton and Soumya usually love batting on pacey wicket where ball comes easily at the bat. Cottrell and Thomas were pacey. They let loose barrage of short deliveries all right. But the novice way Bangladesh top order succumbed to short deliveries left all wondering about their skill and temperament. The top three did not fell to quality deliveries, rather their novice self defeated approach led to their dismissal. Once the top three got blown away Mushfique, Mahmudullah and the rest also failed to deliver. Only Shakib braved the situation .His 61 saved the team from total disgrace. Still 130 in modern T20 on an easy paced wicket against power hitters of West Indies was overhauled like a cake walk. Hope, Pooran, Paul were brutal and flamboyant. Bangladesh bowlers were taken to cleaners. It was a total disgrace and completely humiliating.
West Indies is T20 world champion all right. But this team does not have Gayle, Pollard, Russel, Narine, Roach and Holder. Only a few months back Bangladesh won the series 2-1 on the tour against much stronger West Indies team. There can not be any excuse for such a defeat.
Was the team selection OK? Did Bangladesh have horses for the courses? The team was stuffed with 9 batsmen. Ariful and Saifuddin were over looked in tests and ODIs. Suddenly bringing them in T20 did not produce dividends. In T20 bowlers capable of containing hard hitters bowling at right length on the corridor consistently with subtle variations of pace and deadly Yorkers are required. Why not Rubel was in the team? West Indies batsmen got used to certain type of bowling . Why our bowlers did not change their length in the face of savage attack?
In fact the match was lost in the first power play of Bangladesh with Tamim, Liton and Soumya throwing away their wickets in gay cavalier mode. This team despite of recent success gets panicked easily and loose focus. In any cricket match a team may loose. But the manner in which Bangladesh lost the first T20 match may make it extremely difficult for regrouping and bouncing back. None other than Shakib looked composed and confident at all. Hope team think tank could mentor the team and players learnt from mistakes. If this West Indies team produce their A game again Bangladesh may have to absorb the ignominy of series loss.
Bangladesh for achieving consistency at this highest level has to carry out extensive home works on finding horses for the courses in different formats. The players must be tuned and primed for adjusting to circumstances and get mentally tougher.
BDST: 1245 HRS, DEC 19, 2018
SI
