Bangladesh’s association with the term ‘giant killers’ was once again personified with their scintillating win over South Africa on Sunday. Put in to bat by the South African skipper, Faf du Plessis, who was missing Hashim Amla and Dale Steyn for the game, the Bangla Tigers posted a mammoth 330 on board, their highest ODI total ever.
A win by 12 runs wasn’t just about being lucky. Bangladesh seemed to have bridged that chapter already. This victory simplified how well they have progressed over the tenure. It was exactly 20 years back that Bangladesh announced themselves at the international stage. Playing in their maiden World Cup campaign – 1999 – the Bangla Tigers went on to defeat heavy favourites, Pakistan.
Back in 2007, they eliminated Indian from the tournament, and this was followed another massive upset win over England in the 2015 edition. There’s this pattern, right?
On South Africa’s part, they were indeed sloppy in the field, and a bit careless in their bowling. But capitalizing over the fallacy is just another way asserting the supremacy. And this was exactly the case when the likes of Lungi Ngidi and Kagiso Rabada failed to provide anything positive with the ball.
Bangladesh’s performance was all about their grit. To start with, despite losing two wickets within 75 runs, the likes of Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim played a 142-run stance on the back of which the team went on to dismantle everything the South African bowlers threw at them.
AFP/ Ian KingtonA stern performance by Mahmudullah and Mosaddek Hussain down the order further strengthened Bangladesh’s repute, which later proved out to be the clincher. The fact that even the players coming down at number seven are capable of hitting big is a testament of how brilliantly Bangladesh prepared and equipped themselves for the game.
As far as bowling is concerned, the department hardly broke a sweat as South Africa surrendered themselves rather poorly. And apart from Shakib, who stood out with his blazing performance, Mustafizur Rahman once again proved why he remains a trump card for his team. And while Mohammad Saifuddin leaked runs, his dismissal of Rassie van der Dussen was as important as anything.
This was a total team effort, to say the least. The players stuck to the plan and South Africa simply had no answers to their spirit. And the triumph was duly celebrated by the fans who cheered their team from the stands throughout. Bangladesh are no longer the underdogs. Yes, they are far from being the contenders of this coveted trophy, but they are putting some stern performances on an international scale.
Remember, we are talking about a side that does not have wrist spinners. Yet they have managed to outclass a top cricketing nation. And this particular trait explains how perfectly they underline the blueprint for the games, and how smartly do they operate the conditions.
Bangladesh seem to be perfectly equipped for the tournament. Their players are now experienced campaigners and their plans are working to mere perfection. It’s just about the consistency and the results will follow.
Feature Image courtesy: AFP / Ian Kington
