Hats off to Mashrafe
R Ahmad, Eskaton Garden Road, Dhaka
I believe, never before in the history of Bangladesh cricket, tail enders salvaged a big international match, against a top team of the world, by their batting, avoiding an inevitable-looking follow on and an ignominious defeat in the Chittagong Test. When the top order totally failed to make any kind of impression, Mashrafe came in as the no. 8 with the score of 122 only on the board. There was a real possibility of a follow-on. Then Shakib, followed by Rafique were out at 149 when Shahadat came and joined Mashrafe. Not many people at that time believed that follow-on could be avoided. But then the largest partnership of 77 between Mashrafe and Shahadat eventually saved the day. Mashrafe, basically a bowler, played like a 'Pucca' batsman at the most critical period of the match, like his play in the last ODI -- four sixes in four balls! Mashrafe initially (very rightly) played defensibly, blocking the ball skillfully when required to do so. At this time I remembered the great Hanif Mohammad's defensive blocks that I had seen myself on the ground. Then I was surprised to see Mashrafe opening up. Not only did he defend his wicket successfully but started getting runs as well, hitting boundaries and sixes. If somebody who didn't know him, he would have thought him to be a master batsman, not a bowler. He has indeed now blossomed into an all rounder. Perhaps from now on the captain and selectors could think of elevating Mashrafe in the batting order. I must do justice by adding that it was not only Mashrafe's innings of 79 but also Shahadat's inning of 31, (77 runs together) and his support which made it possible on that day to avoid the follow-on and eventually to get a draw from a seemingly lost match. I know what games can be like (because I was captain of two national teams of two different games, and President of the Bangladesh Basketball Federation for 11 years, and member of the National Sports Council and Olympic Committee). Therefore I would not dismiss off our batsmen for this failure on a particular day. Rather, I would add the words of Mashrafe himself in one of his interviews "Perhaps it was not their day, but who knows they may come good tomorrow and may be some other day they will cover up my failure." I congratulate Mashrafe and Shahadat and it was of course very right that Mashrafe got the Man of the Match award.
|
|
