In every sport or game, if its made of a team or group of players, there always remains one player who helps the whole team to develop the habit of win. Even if the team is losing, or going through a tough times faced with external odd factors, not finding rhythm to do better getting ready for the next match to come.
Its not always usual that the player has to be the captain of the team, but presence in the playing XI is what gives extra energy upon which the whole team relies on.
Match number 3 in this world cup edition marked the first match that the young cricketing nations with high possibilities,Bangladesh team that got ODI status back in 1997. Since many years passed on and accept a champions trophy win couldn’t been able to secure a global trophy win.
So, in a sense of winning for bigger margin, their contribution is near zero and each time the team plays,the general people start to feather their own expectations and high wishes in every global tournament.
Playing the first match reminds me of the developmental age that the cricket team went through, starting from the earliest time in the first decade of ODI birth, that they were happy to just handling a single win over a few mide strength team. Expectations were low, but as time moved on defeating the strong cricket nations seemed as easy to hit a pair of six in a over.
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After the year 2018 is the time I think when the whole cricketing atmosphere of the Bangladesh team began to change and there are pretty good reasons also there for that. Players in the national team began to become professional players with long term contracts with board, that created the touch of expert impression which made them feel more comfortable in encountering cricket superpowers.
5 of the players who have played for more than a decade that is what I think consolidated the backbone of the team pretty much. Shakib,Tamim,Mushfiqur, Mashrafe, Mahmudullah, these are the
short names of those 5 players who have been playing for the team for such duration. Mashrafe retired from all formats of cricket, Tamim is the player who missed out quite badly and the rest are competing in this edition.
Bangladesh team is well furnished for having one player who I think would have been next to Tendulkar by name and fame and contributions to the sport if he were playing for England,India,Australia (one of these nations).
The reason of my such proclamation are many to be mentioned, but that much I can say that - he has been the No.1 ranked all rounder in global cricket for 3 consecutive years and other single time, thats such credit that no other player ever achieved.
Shakib was handed the opportunity to lead the team for this world cup and the captaincy was first accorded to Tamim who for some conspiracy issues missed out of the squad selection. The whole team was criticized by the general people and the spectators of the nation, that surely created a black impression and disheartening aura to the team.
But in such critical time Shakib took the responsibility to organize the team and make them enthusiastic and ready for the tournament which has highest value in cricket. The results are there in the first match Afghanistan. I think you have seen and enjoyed the both team to play on.
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Shakib won the toss first and with smart plan sent the Afghanistan batters to come to the popping crease to bat first. The decision was precise when he picked up two wicket below over 15, breaking the backbone of their batting strength.
His captaincy was very impressive what I think, rotating the strike pacers time to time, mixing the quality spinnees in between and never letting batters to settle down was the belt that tied the first innings below 160.
Mehidy Miraz took 3 wickets and a wonderful fifty along with Shanto (the promising young opener) who also scored a half century. Bangladesh team relied upon these two batters to reach 150 mark while openers lost their wickets very early.
Bangladesh got the first victory in opening match and all of them are happy and so as fans. Shakib is playing his 5tg world cup this season and now the expectations are sky high from him. Like many of us I really also want the team to reach the Semi -final. Its not improbable, but they need to play composed and minimize doing wrong in critical times.
Also good luck for Afghanistan team,may they play well in the future.