The world cricket lovers saw the emergence of a new and performing Bangladesh in the final match held on Thursday. Congratulations to the dynamic captain Shakib Al Hasan who stood tall to rewrite the record books with a colossal all-round effort in the Tigers' historic series triumph over New Zealand at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur of Dhaka in Bangladesh.
The players erupted in joy, in front of an electrifying crowd who braved the scorching heat and humid condition, once Rokibul Hasan held the catch of Kane Williamson, who stood in the way of Bangladesh and victory with a resolute 108, at deep midwicket off paceman Shafiul Islam.
This ensured the Tigers' nine-run victory in the nerve-wrecking fourth one-dayer of the five-match series and gave them a 3-0 lead against New Zealand, whose chase eventually ended at 232 in 49.3 overs in reply to the hosts' 241.
The hero of the match was none other than the world's number one all-rounder Shakib who almost single handedly took Bangladesh cricket to unparalleled heights. He scored a magnificent 106, his fifth ton, when the chips were down. And as if that was not enough, he then took the ball in his golden arm and claimed three crucial wickets to complete the Kiwi blushes. His efforts can be best described as an angel coming with a magic wand to heal the pains of a country where nothing seems working properly.
With this win the Tigers conquered new territory; a series victory against a top-flight, full strength opposition.
Shakib and company silenced the cynics who have expressed qualms about the ability of the Tigers with this magnificent performance against the Black Caps who have seen a different Bangladesh in their third visit to the country.
Previously, Bangladesh have won a few matches sparsely against the top opponents but this was the first time they dominated a series from the very first game and now they still retain the chance of a whitewash.
The morning however did not show the day as a very sunny for Bangladesh.
In-form opener Shahriar Nafees returned to the dressing room in the very second ball of the innings after New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori invited his opponents to bat, and the visitors tightened their grip on the home side reducing them to 44-3.
But Shakib had other plans as the left-hander joined opener Imrul Kayes to repair the early damages. He then got able support from Mahmudullah Riyad (37) and Mushfiqur Rahim (13) to take away the visitors' early initiative during his well-composed 113-ball 106 that contained eleven fours and a six. His fifth hundred helped Bangladesh to put up a fighting total of 241 before being bundled out in 48.1 overs.
Despite the classy effort from Shakib under trying conditions, Bangladesh were still twenty runs short of their target due to lack of fire in the finishing overs. They could manage only 40 runs from the last ten overs losing five wickets, but a disciplined bowling effort made sure the total could be defended.
And when Shakib's turn came to show something with the leather, the left-arm spinner did exactly what his team required to win the match as he finished as the most successful bowler with three for 54.
Pacer Shafiul claimed the two prize scalps of Brendon McCullum, who for successive second occasion was dismissed by the right-arm paceman for 21 runs, and Williamson but the dismissal of Grant Elliot was the turning point of the match as the right-hander shared a 70-run sixth wicket stand with Williamson after the visitors were reeling at 80-5.
Elliot (22) tried to paddle against a short length ball from Shakib but top edged high in the air and it was Abdur Razzak who took an excellent running catch which emulated the former Indian captain Kapil Dev's running catch in the 1983 World Cup final against West Indies.
Threat then came from Nathan McCullum (33) but fortune favoured the brave as a brilliant throw from the deep from substitute Naeem Islam hit the stumps directly to beat McCullum's effort. His dismissal also effectively killed the hopes of New Zealand to snatch victory from the Tigers.
Shakib took the ball in the very crucial 49th over when New Zealand needed 24 runs from the last two overs and McCullum silenced the partisan crowd by hitting a boundary in the very first ball. He then managed two runs from the very next delivery but Naeem broke the hearts by sending back McCullum and in the third delivery Daryl Tuffey was dismissed by Shakib which all but confirmed the Tigers' victory.
But requiring 16 runs from last six balls with one wicket in hand, Williamson, who batted with a runner from the middle of his innings, started brilliantly taking two runs from the first delivery of Shafiul and then hitting a boundary in the next ball. But in the third ball it was time for Shafiul to jump high and bring a smile on the faces of the million cricket lovers of Bangladesh.
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| Bangladesh Cricket Team celebrates their first 3-days ODI series victory over New Zealand in their own country on October 14, 2010 |
The players erupted in joy, in front of an electrifying crowd who braved the scorching heat and humid condition, once Rokibul Hasan held the catch of Kane Williamson, who stood in the way of Bangladesh and victory with a resolute 108, at deep midwicket off paceman Shafiul Islam.
This ensured the Tigers' nine-run victory in the nerve-wrecking fourth one-dayer of the five-match series and gave them a 3-0 lead against New Zealand, whose chase eventually ended at 232 in 49.3 overs in reply to the hosts' 241.
The hero of the match was none other than the world's number one all-rounder Shakib who almost single handedly took Bangladesh cricket to unparalleled heights. He scored a magnificent 106, his fifth ton, when the chips were down. And as if that was not enough, he then took the ball in his golden arm and claimed three crucial wickets to complete the Kiwi blushes. His efforts can be best described as an angel coming with a magic wand to heal the pains of a country where nothing seems working properly.
With this win the Tigers conquered new territory; a series victory against a top-flight, full strength opposition.
Shakib and company silenced the cynics who have expressed qualms about the ability of the Tigers with this magnificent performance against the Black Caps who have seen a different Bangladesh in their third visit to the country.
Previously, Bangladesh have won a few matches sparsely against the top opponents but this was the first time they dominated a series from the very first game and now they still retain the chance of a whitewash.
The morning however did not show the day as a very sunny for Bangladesh.
In-form opener Shahriar Nafees returned to the dressing room in the very second ball of the innings after New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori invited his opponents to bat, and the visitors tightened their grip on the home side reducing them to 44-3.
But Shakib had other plans as the left-hander joined opener Imrul Kayes to repair the early damages. He then got able support from Mahmudullah Riyad (37) and Mushfiqur Rahim (13) to take away the visitors' early initiative during his well-composed 113-ball 106 that contained eleven fours and a six. His fifth hundred helped Bangladesh to put up a fighting total of 241 before being bundled out in 48.1 overs.
Despite the classy effort from Shakib under trying conditions, Bangladesh were still twenty runs short of their target due to lack of fire in the finishing overs. They could manage only 40 runs from the last ten overs losing five wickets, but a disciplined bowling effort made sure the total could be defended.
And when Shakib's turn came to show something with the leather, the left-arm spinner did exactly what his team required to win the match as he finished as the most successful bowler with three for 54.
Pacer Shafiul claimed the two prize scalps of Brendon McCullum, who for successive second occasion was dismissed by the right-arm paceman for 21 runs, and Williamson but the dismissal of Grant Elliot was the turning point of the match as the right-hander shared a 70-run sixth wicket stand with Williamson after the visitors were reeling at 80-5.
Elliot (22) tried to paddle against a short length ball from Shakib but top edged high in the air and it was Abdur Razzak who took an excellent running catch which emulated the former Indian captain Kapil Dev's running catch in the 1983 World Cup final against West Indies.
Threat then came from Nathan McCullum (33) but fortune favoured the brave as a brilliant throw from the deep from substitute Naeem Islam hit the stumps directly to beat McCullum's effort. His dismissal also effectively killed the hopes of New Zealand to snatch victory from the Tigers.
Shakib took the ball in the very crucial 49th over when New Zealand needed 24 runs from the last two overs and McCullum silenced the partisan crowd by hitting a boundary in the very first ball. He then managed two runs from the very next delivery but Naeem broke the hearts by sending back McCullum and in the third delivery Daryl Tuffey was dismissed by Shakib which all but confirmed the Tigers' victory.
But requiring 16 runs from last six balls with one wicket in hand, Williamson, who batted with a runner from the middle of his innings, started brilliantly taking two runs from the first delivery of Shafiul and then hitting a boundary in the next ball. But in the third ball it was time for Shafiul to jump high and bring a smile on the faces of the million cricket lovers of Bangladesh.
However, undoubtedly this victory will strengthen both the mindset and arms of the players of Bangladesh Cricket team as thought by cricket analysts of Bangladesh. Specially it will obviously help the Bangladesh Cricket Team in the next Cricket World Cup 2011 to be arranged jointly by Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and India in the early of 2011.
Peoples from all walk of life of Bangladesh expressed their deep satisfaction over the record playing of Bangladesh Cricket Team known widely as Tigers.
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