Bangladesh’s cricketers created history when they defeated Pakistan 2-0 in the recently concluded Test series. It was the first time that Bangladesh had made a clean sweep of a series against Pakistan. In every department of the game, Bangladesh outplayed their hosts. The Bangla outfit had several young players who were well supported and guided by their experienced teammates.
After winning the first Test to record their first ever victory in Pakistan, the visiting team proved that it was not a flash in the pan when they triumphed again in the second Test by a convincing 6 wicket victory.
Bangladesh which gained independence in 1971 was not accorded Test status in cricket until 2000. On June 26, 2000, it gained the status of a Test cricket playing nation.
Thereafter, Bangladesh and Pakistan faced each other in Test matches on 14 occasions (prior to the current 2024 series). Out of these 14 matches, Pakistan won 12 contests while Bangladesh won one match and one match ended in a draw.
So the head to head score was 12 in favour of Pakistan and one in favour of Bangladesh. But now in 2024, Bangladesh has won two Tests in a row.
Miraz and Das in record stand
The Bangla fast bowlers Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana and Taskin Ahmed were outstanding. In Pakistan’s first innings of the second Test the wrecker in chief was the off spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz. The 26-year-old from Barisal town was also involved in a record breaking 165-run-stand for the seventh wicket with Liton Das who scored a patient 138.
In both of Pakistan’s innings, its batters were not allowed to go on to a big score. Shan Masood, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan were constantly put under pressure and not given the opportunity to settle down.
Bangladesh was never such a strong and determined side. To top it all, this time the team’s preparation was affected by the political turmoil in the country. Yet the players put everything out of their minds and focused on cricket. How did this new found drive and strength of the Bangla bowlers emerge?
Donald’s coaching was crucial
Very likely it was due to the fact that till last year, the team had been coached by former South African fast bowler Allan Donald. The man who in his heydays used to be known as White Lightning was a formidable opponent for all rivals and was the first South African bowler to take 300 Test wickets.
Later he became a bowling consultant for England and drew praise from many experts. He then coached New Zealand’s bowlers in the 2011 World Cup before giving his services as a bowling coach to his own country. He also coached Pune Warriors in the IPL. So as a coach he has had wide ranging experience in different conditions.
In March 2022 he was appointed fast bowling coach for Bangladesh. He did a splendid job of nurturing the fast bowlers till a controversy came up due to the controversial timed out incident of Sri Lanka’s Angelo Mathews in the World Cup. Donald criticised skipper Shakib’s role in that unusual dismissal and thereafter made no attempt to renew his contract with Bangladesh.
New crop of fast bowlers
But the way the Bangla fast bowlers bowled against Pakistan, it looked like they had profited from Donald’s earlier guidance. There is a new crop of fast bowlers emerging from Bangladesh who have a lot of promise.
Taskin Ahmed
Taskin Ahmed is considered as the leader of the team’s fast bowling attack. When he first stepped into the international arena, he was a firebrand but his youthful energy was not harnessed well. He was also erratic during this phase. A series of injuries and poor form kept him away for sometime but he returned after three years in a new avatar and was a more mature bowler thereafter. In the second Test he took three for 57 in Pakistan’s first innings.
Hasan Mahmud
In Pakistan’s second innings the 24-year-old Hasan Mahmud used the new ball superbly to skittle out five Pakistan batters. He is of average height and has a slightly open-chested action. But despite that, he generates enough pace and bounce to trouble most batters.
Nahid Rana
The other bowler who shone in the match was Nahid Rana. At 21 he is the youngest of the lot. Standing 6 feet 3 inches tall, he also has the height for being a good fast bowler. He picked up four wickets in Pakistan’s second outing and his fastest delivery was clocked at 152.7 kmph. Rarely does his speed go below 140 and when he bangs the ball short, even the keeper has to leap to gather the ball overhead.
All these young fast bowlers, if nurtured along the right lines, could make their team a very potent force in Test cricket in the near future. The use of the wrist to generate speed and swing, keeping the front leg braced at the time of delivery and sticking to the right line and length are the skills that young fast bowlers must turn into a habit.
A good coach is needed to guide these young tiger cubs to hunt for more wickets. Bangladesh must look out for a person who can advise the bowlers in the same way as Allan Donald had done.
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