A triumph of skill and discipline

To win a cup which proves you are the very best in the world, you need skill, discipline, determination and an ice cool captain. A bit of luck, on the other hand, can also go a long way.

The Young Tigers put on a display with all the elements required to floor their mighty Indian counterparts on way to winning the ICC Under-19 World Cup in Potchefstroom yesterday.

Bangladesh’s three-wicket win in the thrilling low-scoring final was also the cricket-crazy nation’s first silverware in any ICC flagship event.

Since the final was against India, it probably added a bit more spice, considering some of Bangladesh’s heart-wrenching defeats against India in recent memory involving the senior teams of the two neighbours and the U-19 team themselves.

And it looked like Bangladesh were heading for yet another defeat against India after dominating them for most part of the game.

Bangladesh produced a superb bowling performance to bundle India out for 177 with a little less than three overs to spare. Cricket lovers in the country have hardly been treated to the kind of bowling that the Bangladesh U-19s churned out in the impressive 47.2 overs they bowled.

That fantastic bowling, backed by almost flawless fielding, was followed up with a 50-run partnership for the opening stand in no time and it gave the impression that the young Tigers were up and running for a maiden title without much fuss.

But a leg-spinner of quality then appeared on the scene and the Bangladesh batting fell apart like a house of cards. By the time Ravi Bishnoi finished five of his ten overs, he ripped through the top and middle order with his googlies, leaving Bangladesh reeling at 65 for four. Things got even more difficult when they lost their fifth wicket with 85 on the board and their sixth at 106

Opener Pervez Hossain Emon, who had to retire due to cramps after scoring 32, retuned to salvage the innings with captain cool Akbar Ali.

But Emon departed at a time when he should have been there with his captain to take the rocking boat to safety.

When he left at 143 for seven, Bangladesh still needed 35 more runs to win and Akbar was left alone to do the job with tailenders for company.

There were many points that can be highlighted in a game where pendulum swung from one end to the other but the way Akbar hold his nerve and carried the dream of a nation on his young shoulders was the biggest advertisement for Bangladesh in the game. He was not flashy and never allowed a rush of blood to distract both his and his partner Rakibul Hasan’s concentration. He stroked a single in way as if he was walking every mile with assurance.

With 15 more needed, a brief spell of shower intervened and eventually reduced the target to seven off 30 balls when they returned. But Akbar’s steely resolve during chase, be it the hard way, remained undiminished against all temptations and intimidation.

Akbar remained unbeaten on 43 at the death while partner Rakibul, the best supporting actor in a game that mattered the most, scored nine not out.

Akbar’s 43 was not spectacular but it was a kind innings that brought the man and a nation a silverware.