'New attitude will take us a long way'
It seems from yesterday's performance in the first ODI against Sri Lanka that the wresting of destiny that Bangladesh's players showed in their history-making win in last week's Test in Colombo has continued into the ODI format as well. Opener Tamim Iqbal, player of the match in both wins, said after his press conference yesterday following Bangladesh's 90-run win just as they had done before the Test match, the players of the team had a closed-door meeting yesterday morning as well. It so happened that for a second international match in a row, Bangladesh put in a clinical team performance to go 1-0 up in the three-ODI series.
“We did outstandingly today in the field,” Tamim said at the post-match press conference. His 142-ball 127 had set up the match, but it was Bangladesh's aggression on the field and their refusal to let up standards, even when the match was all but in the bag, that sealed it. “Mashrafe [Bin Mortaza] bhai's fielding effort was fantastic. We probably won't win games all the time but this attitude will make things easier. This new attitude of being involved in everything and supporting each other will take us a long way.”
This win was all the more important because it arrested a trend of surrendering the advantage after working their way into good positions in away matches. “In the last few matches, we have played good cricket but it didn't show in the results. But it is more pleasing to win more matches. Our progress is shown in the small things that we are doing properly,” Tamim opined.
And those small things were evident throughout the match. From Tamim himself resetting his innings after the twin dismissals of Sabbir Rahman and Mushfiqur Rahim, the likes of Shuvagata Hom, substituting in the field for Tamim Iqbal, taking two crucial catches, Mehedi Hasan Miraz performing like a pro on debut to even Mustafizur Rahman, one of the weaker fielders, affecting a direct-hit run-out when the ninth-wicket partnership was growing to be a headache, Bangladesh were a well-oiled unit greater than the sum of its parts.
But it all comes back to Tamim and the 144-run partnership he had with Shakib that took Bangladesh from 120 for three in the 23rd over to 264 for four in the 46th.
“I am happy that I got my first 100-run stand with Shakib in this game, because the partnership was the key to the match. We didn't take a lot of risks but we still scored runs,” Tamim said of the partnership. “They were bowling well during a period, and we rotated the strike and looked for the odd boundary. We planned our innings very well. Getting the hundred, and winning the game is the best feeling you can ever get.”
In the course of his innings, Tamim also became the first Bangladeshi to accumulate 10,000 international runs. But it was the team and the immediate future he was focused on. “Winning the series is very important. We are in a position to win the series. It will be a huge achievement to beat Sri Lanka in their backyard. It won't be easy, and we have to work harder in the next match.”
There was also a special moment for Tamim just after he had spoken at the prize-giving ceremony. Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan came to him with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on the phone.
“The Prime Minister had called, we were talking to her. After the Test win, I couldn't talk to her; she spoke to Shakib and Mushfiqur. After we won today, she called the board president. Many of us got to speak to her. She congratulated all of us; it is a great feeling when the country's Prime Minister wishes you well.”
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