06:12 AM, September 16, 2018 / LAST MODIFIED: 11:17 AM, September 16, 2018

Mushfiqur’s 144 one of Bangladesh’s best: Mashrafe

Bangladesh batsman Mushfiqur Rahim reaches a superb century during the Asia Cup opener against Sri Lanka at the Dubai International Stadium on September 15. Photo: AFP

Sakeb Subhan from Dubai

The lasting memory of Bangladesh's 137-run win over Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup opener on Saturday may be Tamim Iqbal coming out with a broken wrist to play out one delivery from Suranga Lakmal so that Bangladesh could continue batting after the fall of the ninth wicket, but the match was won by the contribution of the man who carried the charge forward.

Mushfiqur Rahim, during a career-best knock of 144 -- 32 of which were scored off 15 balls after Tamim's unexpected appearance -- proved once again why he is the best all-round batsman Bangladesh have.

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"He [Mushfiqur] played one of the best one-day innings by a Bangladesh batsman. It was played under real pressure -- losing two early wickets and also Tamim couldn't bat in that time," said ODI skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza about Mushfiqur's feat, which saw the wicketkeeper-batsman first consolidating after Tamim retired hurt in the second over and then opening up during one of the great ODI knocks in recent times. "I think the way he played, especially the way he finished, was really good."

Opener Liton Das and Shakib Al Hasan had departed for ducks in the first over, undone by an on-song Lasith Malinga. Tamim's departure to hospital effectively had Bangladesh two down with just three runs on the board. Mushfiqur however was not perturbed.

He scored his first 10 runs off 31 deliveries, making sure there were no further damages, talking Mohammad Mithun -- making a comeback to the side -- through the tough phase and some false shots. He hit the side's first boundary in the last ball of the eighth over, which in these boundary-filled times shows how tough those the first 10 overs were.

Having shown his skill of endurance, the multi-layered Mushfiqur then set about taking the attack apart, bringing up his 50 off 67 balls.

"Obviously I have to talk about Mithun. He handled the pressure very well," Mashrafe added about the youngster who scored 68-ball 63 during a match-turning 131-run third-wicket stand.

But Mithun faltered in the 26th over, playing across the line to Malinga and getting out, precipitating a collapse of three wickets for 10 runs. Mushfiqur returned to endurance mode and continued to inch Bangladesh towards a competitive total even when the lower order failed to stick it out with him. When number 11 Mustafizur Rahman ran himself out in the 47th over with the score on 229 and Mushfiqur on 112 off 135, a barely competitive score seemed to be all Bangladesh would get.

Tamim's arrival changed all that, and Mashrafe thought that it actually gave Mushfiqur a boost. The next 15 balls saw the other gear that Mushfiqur has which can only be seen as one employed by the game's geniuses. He seemed to be hitting the ball at will – at his best his arsenal of shots is so varied that no delivery, even yorkers, escape punishment. There was the scoop that turned into a ramp at the last second, inside-out cover drives for a four and a six and a pulled six that would have been expected of a batsman twice his size.

"His innings was a great succour for us because without it the match could have been different," Mashrafe added. That may well be the understatement of the tournament.

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Bangladesh ended their last ODI in 2018 in perfect fashion, winning the third game and the series against West Indies by a comprehensive eight-wicket margin and making Mashrafe Bin Mortaza's Bangladesh-record 70th match as captain an auspicious one yesterday.

The picturesque Sylhet International Stadium's inaugural ODI also produced a performance that would raise hopes of Bangladesh's shaky top order finally taking shape in the run-up to next summer's World Cup in England.

The Tigers' chase of a sub-par 199 -- set up by Mehedi Hasan Miraz's career-best figures of four for 29 -- on a good batting wicket was powered by a 131-run second-wicket stand between star opener Tamim Iqbal and Soumya Sarkar, promoted to number three in place of the dropped Imrul Kayes.

While Tamim scoring 81 off 104 is nothing surprising, Soumya's continuation of the good form he displayed with a ton in the third ODI against Zimbabwe in October is a promising sign that there may finally be some consistency to match Tamim's.

Soumya hit five sixes and as many fours in a blistering 81-ball 80 before being bowled by Keemo Paul with the score on 176 in the 36th over. Mushfiqur Rahim then came in and kept Tamim company as the left-hander hit a brace of boundaries to take Bangladesh home with 69 balls to spare.

It sealed a series by a 2-1 margin during which West Indies were generally outclassed by the hosts. The only exception to that was Shai Hope, who hit a match-winning century in the second game and hit another unbeaten ton, 108 off 131 balls, yesterday.

Liton Das and Tamim got the chase off to a rapid start as the dusktime dew started quickening up the wicket. Liton was batting fluently and hit five boundaries in the first 10 overs, but got himself out trying to hit a sixth one over the head of mid on against Keemo Paul and being caught for 23 in the first ball of the 11th over, ending a 45-run opening stand.

West Indies' chances took a major hit at the end of that over as pacer Kemar Roach limped off, clutching at his hamstring, and did not return for the rest of the match and has been ruled out of the following T20I series starting on December 17.

There was at least one boundary every over from the 13th till the 18th, off which Tamim hit a four and Soumya a six off leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo.

While Soumya took the odd risk, Tamim exemplified responsible batting. He hit five boundaries along the ground before his first lofted shot in the 24th over when he swept Bishoo for a four over short fine leg. That shot also brought up his 43rd ODI fifty off 62 deliveries. Soumya reached his seventh half-century with a single, also off his 62nd delivery, in the 30th over.

He then went on a rampage, hitting three sixes and two fours and racing past Tamim.

Earlier, West Indies' innings was the latest example of their lack of ability to bat in these conditions, with the obvious and shining exception of Hope. The opener has now batted for 99.4 overs across the last two matches without offering a single chance to the Bangladesh bowlers.

It was the off-spin of Mehedi that broke West Indian's backs. Mehedi started by dispatching opener Chanderpaul Hemraj, who was caught at backward point in the fourth over. Hope was batting untroubled at the other end.

It was all up to Hope, who attempted to wage another lone battle. He focused on getting the total as near 200 as possible. Keemo Paul and Kemar Roach -- both dismissed by Mashrafe in the 44th and 46th overs respectively -- kept Hope company as the batsman reached his fourth ODI hundred with a six off Shakib off his 121st delivery.

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Bangladesh stalwart Mushfiqur Rahim was excited to have reached the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) final with Fortune Barishal, a side that had been given the tag of the 'team of elderlies' prior to the tournament.

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Mushfiur's unbeaten 47 off 38 deliveries helped Barishal beat Shakib Al Hasan's Rangpur Riders by six wickets in Qualifier 2 in Mirpur yesterday.

If Shakib and Tamim get booed, then we should bury ourselves: Mushfiqur

After Barishal had lost both their openers inside the Powerplay, it was Mushfiqur who rebuild the innings through crucial partnerships with Soumya Sarkar, Kyle Mayers, and David Miller and saw the side chase down a 150-run target with ease.

Asked if it was the experience of the 36-year-old wicketkeeper-batter that helped him play such a pivotal role, Mushfiqur replied wittily as he said: "How so now? All you said before the tournament that Barishal is a team of elderlies and that T20s aren't won by experience. But, here we are."

Led by Tamim Iqbal, Barishal also include another stalwart of Bangladesh cricket in Mahmudullah Riyad.

Was Mushfiqur forced to retire from T20Is?

According to Mushfiqur, who has retired from T20Is, a blend of youth and experience always goes a long way for a team in any format of the game.

"I think it is a very wrong concept [that T20 is a game for only the youth]. I think every format, be it T20, ODIs, or Tests, needs a mixture of youth and experience. It is the way things work in this world – young players will come and the experienced players will make way and a combination of the both will build a process," he said.

Mushfiqur was also very upfront about how he felt being discarded as an "aged" cricketer.

"No, it doesn't motivate me. I just feel bad," Mushfiqur said. If you compare my fitness with many young players, I am sure their fitness level will be nowhere near mine. I can write it down. I think age is just a number. More than the age, I think the fitness level and performance of a player take precedence."

Barishal will vie for their maiden BPL trophy in the all-important final against defending champions Comilla Victorians, the tournament's most successful side with four titles, on March 1 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.

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When Bangladesh take on India in the Asia Cup final in Dubai today, it will be a battle between two sides who have come to the title clash through highly contrasting routes and with widely divergent levels of confidence.

The match will start at 5:30pm (Bangladesh time) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

India had confirmed their place in the final by beating Pakistan by nine wickets on Sunday, the same day that Bangladesh had just managed to stay in contention with a three-run win over Afghanistan. India then rested their best players -- including captain Rohit Sharma and vice-captain Shikhar Dhawan -- for their last Super Four match against Afghanistan, who were inspired by leg-spinner Rashid Khan into forcing a thrilling tie against the world's top-ranked ODI team on Tuesday.

The following day, Bangladesh woke to the news that ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan would follow opener and highest run-scorer Tamim Iqbal out of the tournament, but still rallied to beat two-time champions Pakistan by 37 runs in Abu Dhabi.

While that meant that Bangladesh made the final for the third time in the last four editions, it also meant that they would have one less day than the more-fancied India to recuperate after toiling in heat that they had never played in as a team.

There is also a contrast between the respective strengths of the sides. Bangladesh have routinely lost two wickets inside the first 10 overs and have played out the 50 overs only once in five matches. Meanwhile India have only lost more than three wickets on the two occasions when they played at less than full strength -- against Hong Kong in their first match when they lost seven wickets for 285 and against Afghanistan, when they were bowled out for 252.

"It was difficult [winning against Pakistan] with performers like Shakib and Tamim not playing," said Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza at the pre-final press conference yesterday. "The good thing that the boys have done is that they did not given up, although we lost to Afghanistan in the group stage and again against India [exactly a week before the final], but still they fought back.

"There are some concerns with our batting, but Mushfiqur [Rahim, the second-highest scorer in the tournament with 297 runs] is in great form. [Mohammad] Mithun is playing well, [Mahmudullah] Riyad also batted well. If our top order can click it will be fine. But again I think that India are a far better team -- number one in the world. They came here as favourites, but you never know, anything can happen on a good day. We have to be mentally strong and fight till the end."

While India will have a settled team, Bangladesh have not played the same team for two matches in succession throughout the tournament. The injuries have forced them to get creative, such as batting left-handed opener Imrul Kayes at six to combat Rashid's leg-spin on Sunday. There may be a change today, with left-arm spinner Nazmul Islam coming into replace batsman Mominul Haque to try and contain India's vaunted batting order.

Imrul could also slot back into the opening position, pulling Soumya down to the lower middle order. With the way things have gone, it is a fool's errand to guess their plans. Mashrafe also has an injury to his right little from when he spectacularly caught Pakistan's Shoaib Malik on Wednesday. However, there is no danger of the captain not playing in the title clash.

The crux of the battle may be in the top order because the two teams match up pretty evenly with the ball. Bangladesh have not conceded more than the 255 for seven Afghanistan scored against them last Thursday. As Mashrafe said, if it goes according to form, the top-ranked India should come out on top against the seventh-ranked Bangladesh. But if the Tigers can find the solution to the top order woes at the most opportune time, they will have performed above themselves and could conjure an unlikely result.

Bangladesh also have the invisible hand of momentum going in their favour, having won their last two matches with spirited performances.

However, it should also be remembered that they have never won a final, including a loss to India in the last Asia Cup final at home and in the Nidahas Trophy in March.

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The first Test between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in Sylhet was played on a rather pace-friendly wicket, but as the two-match series moves to Chattogram, conditions are expected to be a lot different.

Chattogram usually produces runs, and for Bangladesh, spin has been the weapon of choice at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium. However, for the struggling Bangladesh top-order along with the bowlers, it would be about adjusting to changes Chattogram has on the offing.

The condition in the port city is overcast with rain clouds hovering above, but that may not be enough for the Tigers' pace unit to smile about as the temperature and humidity remain challenging.

"Whatever the conditions are, we have to adapt to be flexible to them," Bangladesh assistant coach Nic Pothas, who will be the interim head coach in Chandika Hathurusingha's absence, said in the press conference yesterday.

In the Sylhet Test, especially in the second innings, the Tigers needed to wait for the second new ball to make breakthroughs and even then, spinners did the talking.

With Shakib Al Hasan back, the spin department, also including Mehedi Hasan and Taijul Islam, will be further bolstered. It could also see Bangladesh go with two pacers, and three spinners – a change from the three-pacer and two-spinner combination in Sylhet.

Shakib, who had not bowled a lot of overs against Ireland in the last Test he played over a year ago, will, however, not feel any less confident with the ball in hand as the star all-rounder has been up to speed, thanks to a few outings in the ongoing Dhaka Premier League.

Shakib is also the highest wicket-taker in Tests at the ground, scalping 64 wickets in 19 matches. Given the spinners' experience, the Tigers' think tank may feel there is an edge to be exploited given Lankan spinners' relative inexperience. However, how Tigers' batters fare would be a bigger concern.

In Mushfiqur Rahim's absence, Shakib will also offer the touch of experience the Tigers definitely craved in their 328-run drubbing in the Sylhet Test.

The bulk of the runs for Sri Lanka in the Sylhet Test were made by their middle and lower-middle order -- mostly by skipper Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Menis, both of whom struck centuries in each of the innings. Given the form of the Lankans' middle-order, it remains to be seen how much the Tigers spinners can hold sway if the presumption about the Chattogram surface being conducive to spin holds true.

Sparks may also fly. Sri Lanka's Angelo Matthews has not yet attended a press conference in this tour but in Shakib's presence, the 'timed-out' incident from World Cup 2023 which resurfaced in the form of its enactment in the preceding ODI and T20I series, could find new grounds.

"The important thing for us as a management group is to manage the mood of the group and as long as we are level, then we will learn. But we certainly aren't an emotional group and it's not an emotional change room," Pothas said.

Lankan skipper Dhananjaya de Silva expected a batting-friendly wicket. When asked about what kind of intent his side were expecting from Bangladesh, he said: "If they come hard, we will go hard. If they keep calm, we will keep calm."

Regarding Shakib, he said: "Why should I talk about him? He's not in my team."

But from Bangladesh's perspective, Shakib will perhaps be the key to adapt and transform.

Key stats

*Bangladesh have only two wins to their name in 23 Tests at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium (ZACS) in Chattogram. The Tigers have lost 19 and drawn seven. The two wins came against Zimbabwe in 2014 and West Indies in 2018 respectively.

*Shakib Al Hasan holds the record for most wickets taken in Tests at ZACS, with 64 in 19 Tests. The star all-rounder is 22 runs away from completing 1,000 runs at the venue.

*Mominul Haque averages 63.42 at ZACS as he amassed 1205 runs in 22 innings. The left-hander has seven centuries and fifty to his name at the venue and is 25 runs away from 4,000 Test runs.

*Sri Lanka pacer Asitha Fernando picked up a 10-wicket haul in his last Test outing against the Tigers. His effort helped the Lankans to a 10-wicket win in Mirpur in May 2022.

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Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto's bizarre review on Day 1 of the second Test against Sri Lanka has left everyone baffled.

In the 44th over of the day, Sri Lanka batter Kusal Mendis, batting on 29, rushed down the wicket to play dead bat at a good length delivery bowled by Taijul Islam.

Following the successful defence, an appeal was made by Shanto from first slip. The Tigers skipper had thought that the ball hit Mendis's pad first and asked Taijul whether that was the case. But Taijul failed to give an affirmation and wicket-keeper Liton Das too couldn't ascertain Shanto. The stump mic, however, picked up Shanto saying confidently that it was a case of the ball brushing the pad first before thumping onto the bat.

Shanto decided to challenge umpire Rod Tucker's decision of not out with a review but was left disappointed when replays showed that the ball clearly hit the middle of Mendis's bat. Third umpire Chris Gaffney did not even need to go for an Ultraedge check as the ball was so far away from the front pad.

The Lankans were 155 for the loss of one at that stage after which Mendis went on to score 93 while building a 114-run stand with Dimuth Karunaratne, who eventually scored 86.

Bangladesh have always struggled with determining which decisions to challenge when it comes to using the DRS system. With only three reviews allowed per inning for each side, the Tigers are yet to wrap their heads around the DRS. Previous captains have also struggled with using reviews and there have been several such baffling challenges in the recent past.

"We are not really good with reviews. That's very clear. So far, we have been awful. We have to develop a much better method. That's completely under captain and wicketkeeper. Maybe the point fielder. The one we are using isn't working. I think we are probably emotions rather than fact at the moment. It was straight off the middle of the bat, so it is not a great review. I also don't want people to be afraid to take reviews. We just have to find a better method," Bangladesh bowling coach Andre Adams said after the day's play in his take of the bizarre review.

Mushfiqur’s 144 one of Bangladesh’s best: Mashrafe

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