Mashrafe sees the funny side

There had been a lot of hype surrounding Bangladesh's pace-bowling unit ahead of the ICC World Cup, having made significant strides in the last few years.

The likes of Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, and Hasan Mahmud managed to gain the confidence of the team management with their consistent ability to pose a threat to the opposing batters, prompting the team management to keep its faith in the seamers intact.

Considering current year's records, the impact of Bangladeshi pacers speaks for itself, as they managed to turn the table in their favour with 94 wickets, which is 32 more than their spin unit's tally.

However, Bangladesh's seamers have been underwhelming in their three World Cup games so far. Despite defeating Afghanistan in the tournament opener, skipper Shakib Al Hasan mentioned after the game that he expected the pacers to contribute more to the team's cause.

From then on, the situation quickly deteriorated as the Tigers went on to lose their next two games, both in convincing ways, against England and New Zealand. Although Batting display has been the standout disappointment, Bangladesh quicks also performed below par.

Shoriful, along with Shakib, has taken the most wickets for Bangladesh thus far in the tournament. The left-arm pacer took five wickets in three games, but he would like to improve his economy rate, 6.28, which remained on the higher side.

Probably the biggest concern for the Tigers' pace unit would be Taskin. The tall quick, who was expected to lead the Bangladesh pace battery in the flagship event, seems to be struggling to find his rhythm.

Taskin only grabbed two wickets in three games, with an economy of 6.30. Because of his inconsistency, the 28-year-old was unable to bowl his complete quota of overs in each of the three matches. Furthermore, his pace appears to have slowed so far in the World Cup.

Mustafizur Rahman, another experienced bowler, must also fire on all cylinders as the 'Cutter Master' has only two wickets to his name.

Despite the fact that the Indian conditions were predicted to help spinners more, pacers are among the four out of top five wicket-takers in this tournament.

Allan Donald, Bangladesh's pace-bowling coach, has been instrumental in creating the new-look Bangladesh pace outfit. The South Africa great was spotted working closely with his charges during yesterday's training session at Pune's Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium ahead of their India clash on Thursday.

Given the Indian batters' rich vein of form, spearheaded by captain Rohit Sharma, Bangladesh could choose to feature their fifth pace option in Tanzim Hasan Sakib after he impressed on his international debut last month. In that match, against India in the Asia Cup, the right-arm seamer removed the Indian captain in his second delivery.

If Bangladesh fail to make the first Powerplay count on both batting and bowling yet again, Tigers' prospect to return to winning ways becomes much more difficult. Thus, Mustafizur and company will be desperate to produce early inroads and regain their confidence as the pressure mounts on the side.

Yearzan Begum, Bangladesh's saviour in the SAFF Under-16 Women's Championship final against India with three saves in the penalty shootout on Sunday, thought her football dreams had ended in 2018. 

Yearzan, a promising school-level goalkeeper had quit football around six years back, surrendering to the lack of opportunities in her Khoprabandi village in Panchagarh, giving way to the sneers and mocking that follows young girls in rural Bangladesh who dare to dream of making a career in football.

"After playing in the school tournament [Bangamata Gold Cup], I quit football in 2018 because there was no opportunity to play football under any coach in my village. The villagers also did not support me," Yearzan told the reporters at the BFF house on yesterday afternoon following the arrival of the champion Bangladesh team from Nepal.

Yearzan would not be guarding the Bangladesh post in the final had it not been for Abu Taleb Tuku, a local football coach in Panchagarh who persuaded her to return to football.

"Coach Abu Taleb Tuku invited me to play for his football academy after learning about me through my friends. He trained me and told me I could play in Dhaka and for the national football team if I work harder. I promised to do it," said Yearzan.

The young goalkeeper had to travel nearly 12 kilometres every day from her village to the town to train at Abu Taleb's academy. But growing up in a home where her father is battling an illness that keeps him from having a job and her mother runs the family working as a house help, Yearzan has lived a life of hardship. So, the distance from her home to the academy couldn't keep her from chasing her dreams.

Yearzan made one of her dreams come true in 2023, when she played for Siraj Smrity Academy in the Bangladesh Women's Football League. She later gave a trial at the U19 team but due to her young age was selected for the U16 team instead. In the final, Bangladesh came from a goal-down to take the match into the penalty shootout.

When asked what was running on her mind when she was walking towards the post after Sauravi Akanda Prity missed Bangladesh's first penalty, Yearzan said, "When the shot from Prity apu was stopped, the only thought in my mind was that how can I stop the shots of the Indian players. I was confident to save two to three shots and I did it."

"During the last shot, I was really confident to save it. But after I did it, I could not believe it myself," she added.
Yearzan also said that she had a shootout training before the final match and followed the instruction of the head coach Saiful Bari Titu.

"During the final training, the head coach told me to focus on the ball then I could choose the which side to go to save the ball."
Now, Yearzan will work towards fulfilling another dream of hers, playing for the Bangladesh women's team.

India won the final of the SAFF Under-19 Women's Championship by virtue of a coin toss after a lengthy penalty shootout against hosts Bangladesh at the Birshrestha Shaheed Mostafa Kamal Stadium in Kamalapur on Thursday. 

All eleven players from each side converted their penalties in the shootout after the contest ended 1-1 at full time. 

Shibani gave India the lead in the eighth minute and the away side held the lead for almost the entirety of the match but Bangladesh striker Sagorika had other plans as she found the net deep into stoppage time to take the game to penalties. 

Bangladesh skipper Afeida Khandokar walked towards the penalty spot after each side had converted all of their 11 penalties. Afeida was then stopped in her tracks as the referees discussed the stipulation amongst themselves. The on-field referees then told both captains that the fate of the match would be decided by a coin toss which went in favour of India.

Bangladesh prevailed in a game of nerves, exiting the Asia Cup with a narrow six-run win in their final Super Four game over tournament finalists India at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo yesterday.  

After Shubman Gill's 121 off 133, a late 34-ball 42-run cameo from Axar Patel threatened to take the game away but Bangladesh bowlers managed to stay composed, bundling out India for 259 in 49.5 overs while defending a 266-run target. 

Bowling a crucial penultimate over, Mustafizur Rahman, one of the five changes made in the Bangladesh eleven for the game, turned up with the goods for the Tigers. Needing 17 off the last two overs and Patel well-set at one end, India looked to be in the driver's seat.

However, with his trademark cutter, Mustafizur got rid of Shardul Thakur in the very first delivery of the 49th over. The left-arm pacer was hit for a boundary by Patel but went on to dismiss the batter in the very next delivery when he mistimed another one of Mustafizur's cutters and was caught by a running fielder at long-off.

The finishing touches were provided by debutant Tanzid Hasan Sakib, who also initiated proceedings with two crucial breakthroughs to jolt India early in their chase. Sakib bowled three dots on the trot in the final over, ratcheting up the pressure on the tailenders who then needed 12 from three.

Shami managed to hit Sakib for a boundary the following delivery but the young pacer had the last laugh as Shami, forced to run a double to keep the match alive, was made run out in the penultimate delivery as Bangladesh recorded their first-ever victory in Colombo.

Before all the drama unfolded in the last few overs, off-spinner Mahedi Hasan impacted with the crucial wicket of Gill in the 44th over.

It was a promising display of cricket by the Tigers, who only had an 89-run win over Afghanistan in the group stage to show for before yesterday's dead rubber.

Skipper Shakib Al Hasan stepped up and led from the front as he stitched together a 101-run fifth-wicket stand with Towhid Hridoy to provide stability in the middle after a rocky beginning with the bat.

Shakib, who has not been able to play to his full potential throughout the Asia Cup – played as a prelude to the ODI World Cup in India next month – looked to have found his rhythm with the willow. With six fours and three maximums, Shakib scored 80 off 85 deliveries before falling short of his 10th ODI hundred when he played a Shardul delivery onto his stumps in the 34th over.

With Shakib back in the hut, it seemed the Tigers' innings would fizzle out soon, especially after in-form Hridoy holed one out to square leg after a 54-run knock to leave Bangladesh at 193 for seven. 

However, Nasum Ahmed came as a surprise package down the order, smashing his career-best 44 off 45, laced with six boundaries and one maximum. His knock was well complemented by unbeaten knocks of 29 and 14 from Mahedi Hasan and debutant Tanzim Hasan Sakib as Bangladesh reached a competitive total of 265 for eight.