Luck not really a factor

Everybody knows that luck is a factor in cricket and the players often mention that when their good efforts go in vain for no apparent reason. But when a proven batsman like Tamim Iqbal get bowled out for a sixth consecutive time it would not be wise to just blame luck; one must instead accept that there was something wrong in approach.

In the recent past the term 'bad luck' has been heard many times from Bangladeshi batsman but there has been no visible effort by them to turn the bad fortune into a good luck.

Including yesterday's dismissal of Tamim, when he dragged an Isuru Udana delivery from outside off stump to be bowled after scoring 19 runs, it was the sixth consecutive time that the left-hander was bowled, continuing his miserable run which has seen him repeatedly get dismissed after getting settled.

Tamim has been one of the most consistent run scorers for the Tigers over the past four years but despite his experience and fine record, the 31-year-old looked shaky and low in confidence, which has affected his batting significantly.

The approach from the left-hander seemed a negative one as even after playing a sufficient amount of deliveries initially, which according to Tamim helps him to open up later on, he has been unable to cash in on the starts.

It is all about partnerships when it comes to giving a top order a solid appearance, but it seems that Tamim's struggles is painting a sordid picture in this respect.

Bangladesh managed to post over three hundred runs twice in their last ten ODIs and it was only possible after the openers added a fifty-plus stand. The last time the openers added a hundred run stand for Bangladesh was against Ireland in the tri-nation ODI series, where Tamim and Liton Das added 117 runs to help successfully chase the target of 293.

Soumya Sarkar has not scored a fifty in those last 10 ODIs while Tamim last scored a fifty five innings ago, and it had come after a gap of five innings.

In those 10 ODIs, including yesterday's second game of the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, there were only three fifty-plus partnerships for the second wicket.

Mohammad Mithun was given the responsibility to bat at the crucial number three position in the absence of Shakib Al Hasan and he scored 10 and 12 in the two ODIs. At number five, his previous position, he had not scored a fifty-plus knock in the last five innings.

Experienced batsman Mahmudullah Riyad has scored just one fifty in his last 16 innings, which includes his dismissal by Akila Dananjaya for six yesterday.

They have the solution in their midst, however. They should just look at Mushfiqur Rahim, who showed during an unbeaten 98-run knock yesterday, which followed a half-century in the first game, that one has to have the determination and responsibility to make it happen in the middle.