Tamim Iqbal
BAN vs SL Cricket Test series 2021: Expected personal milestones to achieve
Bangladesh are gearing up for the Test series against Sri Lanka, which is also part of ICC’s Test Championship. The first match will be held from April 21 to 25, and the second Test will begin on April 29. Pallekele Stadium will host both matches. Bangladesh's Test record against Sri Lanka is very poor, so team tigers' main focus would be to improve their Test record against Sri Lanka. Besides, some players will get the opportunity to achieve individual milestones during the series. In this article, we discussed expected personal milestones to achieve in Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka Test series 2021.
Expected milestones that can be reached in Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka series
14000 International Runs
Veteran Tamim Iqbal needs 282 runs to complete his 14,000 runs in the international arena. So far, he has scored 13,718 runs playing for Bangladesh, ICC XI, and World XI.
14000 runs for Bangladesh
Tamim Iqbal has scored 13,661 runs in 349 international appearances for Bangladesh. He needs 339 more runs to score 14,000 runs for the tigers across all formats.
Read: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka 2021: Analysis of Bangladesh’s Test Squad for Sri Lanka Series
4000 International Runs
Bangladesh Test captain Mominul Haque has scored 3,665 runs in 76 international appearances. He needs 335 runs to complete 4,000 runs in the international circuit.
3000 International Runs
Wicket-keeper batsman Liton Das needs only 140 runs to complete his 3,000 runs in the international arena. Liton has scored 2,860 runs in 96 international matches.
1000 Test Runs
Off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz will complete his 1,000 Test runs if he scores 164 runs in upcoming Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh series.
150 International Wickets
Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam needs 11 more wickets to complete his 150 international wickets for Bangladesh. Taijul has picked 139 wickets in 42 matches.
Read: T20 World Cup 2021: Five Things the Bangladesh Team Needs To Address Before the World T20 2021
50 International Wickets
Right-arm medium pacer Abu Jayed Chowdhury Rahi requires 11 wickets to reach the 50 international wickets milestone. Rahi has bagged 39 wickets in 15 appearances for Bangladesh.
50 International Dismissals
Liton Das only 3 dismissals away to complete his 50 international dismissals for Bangladesh.
50 International Catches
Liton Das only 4 catches away to complete his 50 international catches for Bangladesh.
350 International Appearances
Tamim will become the second player after Mushfiqur Rahim to play 350 matches for Bangladesh when he stepped on the field for the first Test against Sri Lanka.
9000 International Runs
Dinesh Chandimal has scored 8,724 runs in 268 international appearances. He needs 276 runs to complete 9,000 runs in the international circuit.
Read: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka 2021: Five Things Bangladesh Cricket Team Must Do To win the Test Series in Sri Lanka
150 International Appearances
Lankan top-order batsman Kusal Mendis only one match away to complete his 150 appearances for Sri Lanka.
5000 Test Runs
Sri Lankan Test captain Dimurth Karunaratne has scored 4,748 runs in 70 Test appearances. He needs 252 runs to complete 5,000 runs in Tests.
2000 Test Runs
Lahiru Thirimanne has scored 1,863 runs in 40 matches and he only needs 137 runs to reach the 2,000 Test runs milestone.
Read: How European football is badly affected by the pandemic covid-19?
1000 Test Runs
Pacer Suranga Lakmal will complete his 1,000 Test runs if he scores 136 runs in upcoming Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka series.
50 Test Wickets
Slow left-arm orthodox spinner Lasith Embuldeniya is only one wicket shy to complete 50 scalps in Tests. The talented youngster has bagged 49 wickets in just 11 matches for Sri Lanka.
50 Test Wickets
Left-arm pacer Vishwa Fernando has scalped 36 wickets in 12 matches, therefore he needs 14 more wickets to complete 50 Test wickets for Sri Lanka.
Bottom Line
Players will be eager to achieve their personal milestones in Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka Test series 2021, but the main focus should be to win the series. The two teams have played a total of 20 Test matches between them. Sri Lanka won 16 games, three were drawn, and Bangladesh only won one game. Bangladesh's only Test victory against Sri Lanka came in 2017. Sri Lanka's current Test setup is not particularly strong. In that perspective, Bangladesh have a fair chance of winning the series against Sri Lanka.
Read: How COVID-19 Pandemic has changed ICC’s cricket schedule
Without senior players, what Bangladesh’s ODI Cricket team could look like?
There comes a time when seniors must step aside to allow the next generation to take their place. Bangladesh’s senior cricketers will likely retire in the next two to three years. Especially Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan are already considering retiring from at least one format of cricket. So from now on, the selectors will have to focus on developing cricketers who will be able to represent Bangladesh in the future. Bangladesh has had the most success in one-day international cricket. So, without senior players, what Bangladesh’s ODI Cricket team could look like? This has been discussed in this article.
How Bangladesh’s ODI playing XI could shape up without their senior players
Shakib, Tamim, Mushfiq, and Mahmudullah have been playing together for more than a decade. Together they have won many matches for Bangladesh and as a result, these cricketers have witnessed many historic victories of Bangladesh. One thing is certain: the BCB has yet to come up with a better alternative for seniors. This is a failure on the part of the Bangladesh Cricket Board, and cricketers must take some of the blame as they are not able to take full advantage of the opportunity they are getting. Let's take a look at the future Bangladesh ODI XI.
Read Mustafiz's Rajasthan vs Shakib's Kolkata: Which team has the best chance to win the IPL 2021?
Batting/Top order
Liton Das
ODI Match: 42 | Runs: 1,115 | HS: 176 | Ave: 29.61 | SR: 91.66 | 100s: 03
Liton Das has been the regular opener of the Bangladesh team for the last two years.
He has cemented his place in the national team after some stellar performances in the international arena. Liton has the highest individual ODI innings for Bangladesh. He achieved that feat against Zimbabwe in 2020 with 176 runs. Though he lacks consistency, at the moment there is no alternative for opener Liton.
Read Mashrafe Mortaza drops a bombshell over his alleged T20 retirement in 2017
Mohammad Naim
ODI Match: 01 | Runs: .. | HS: .. | Ave: .. | SR: .. | 100s: ..
Mohammad Naim will be the prime contender to replace Tamim Iqbal when he retires.
The tall left-handed opener has already established himself as a regular starter in T20 competitions. However, he was not given another opportunity after playing a washed out ODI match against Zimbabwe last year. If given the opportunity, Mohammad Naim has the ability to be a productive opener.
Read How to Become a Cricketer in Bangladesh: An Overall Guideline.
Soumya Sarkar
ODI Match: 61 | Runs: 1,768 | HS: 127* | Ave: 32.14 | SR: 97.35 | 100s: 02
Soumya started his international career with high expectations. But despite getting countless opportunities, he has failed to establish himself as a reliable batsman in the team. Soumya also has a tendency to keep failing after a couple of successful innings. However, his position in the Bangladesh team is secure until the pipeline is solid.
Read Bangladesh's five most memorable overseas ODI wins
Batting/Middle and lower-middle order
Mohammad Mithun
ODI Match: 30 | Runs: 663 | HS: 73* | Ave: 30.13 | SR: 78.83 | 100s: 0
Mohammad Mithun made his international debut in 2014, but he was out of the Bangladesh team for some time. However, in 2018, the right-handed middle-order batsman reclaimed his place on the national side. Mithun will be able to play for Bangladesh for at least another 5-6 years if he can maintain his form.
Read Top Online Shops to Find Sports Equipment in Bangladesh
Afif Hossain
ODI Match: 01 | Runs: 07 | HS: 07 | Ave: 7.00 | SR: 175.00 | 100s: 0
The selectors have high expectations from young Afif Hossain. He is already being considered as an alternative to Shakib Al Hasan. Afif Hossain is a powerful batsman who is also an effective spinner. He is the kind of player who likes to take responsibility. There is no doubt that Afif will become an essential member of the Bangladesh team in the future.
Read Memorable Match Winning Knocks in Tests
Mosaddek Hossain
ODI Match: 35 | Runs: 549 | HS: 52* | Wkts: 14 | BBI: 3/13
All-rounder Mosaddek Hossain is an aggressive-minded middle-order batsman. He is also equally adept at picking up wickets at crucial moments. Mosaddek Hossain's competitive nature makes him a valuable player in limited-overs cricket. Mahmudullah will be replaced by Mosaddek after retirement.
Read The Best ODI Batsmen of the 21st Century.
Mahedi Hasan
ODI Match: 03 | Runs: 24 | HS: 14 | Wkts: 02 | BBI: 2/42
Mahedi Hasan made his international debut in the away series against New Zealand. Aggressive Mahedi is equally good at batting and bowling. When he failed to score with the bat, he makes it up by picking wickets. In the future, Afif, Mosaddek, and Mahedi could become a lethal middle order for Bangladesh.
Read New Zealand Series will define Tamim’s captaincy
Mohammad Saifuddin
ODI Match: 24 | Runs: 302 | HS: 51* | Wkts: 34 | BBI: 4/41
Pace all-rounder Mohammad Saifuddin has been dubbed the team's new Mashrafe. Saifuddin is a very good bowler in the death overs. In addition, Saifuddin can become lethal with the bat when the team needs him. In the international arena, he has already proven his worth by playing some notable innings.
Read Bangladesh vs New Zealand T20I Series 2021: Report Card of Bangladeshi players
Bowling
Taskin Ahmed
ODI Match: 36 | Wkts: 48 | BBI: 5/28 | Ave: 32.81 | Econ: 5.88 | 5W: 01
Taskin Ahmed returned to the international circuit last January after missing two years due to injury. Taskin is committed to keeping his place on the squad. If he continues to perform, he will be able to play for Bangladesh for at least another 6/7 years.
Read Shakib's 34th Birthday: 34 achievements to celebrate the no.1 all-rounder
Mustafizur Rahman
ODI Match: 64 | Wkts: 118 | BBI: 6/43 | Ave: 23.27 | Econ: 5.24 | 5W: 05
Cutter master Mustafizur Rahman is leading Bangladesh's pace attack. Mustafiz had been rhythmless for a few years, but now he's hinting at recapturing his lost form. He can easily play for Bangladesh's national side for another decade. Mustafiz has the potential to break many records at the end of his retirement.
Read Key T20I Records between Bangladesh and New Zealand
Rubel Hossain
ODI Match: 104 | Wkts: 129 | BBI: 6/26 | Ave: 34.31 | Econ: 5.67 | 5W: 01
Rubel Hossain is one of the most successful pace bowlers in ODI format for Bangladesh. He played important roles in many historic victories of Bangladesh. Rubel is likely to play at least two more ICC World Cups for Bangladesh. But in that case, he'll have to work hard to stay in shape.
Read Who can replace Shakib Al Hasan in Bangladesh Cricket Team?
Bottom Line
An XI for the One-Day International has been formed based on the current Bangladesh squad, which gives us an idea of what Bangladesh's ODI cricket team could look like without the senior players? Finding Shakib, Tamim, or Mushfiqur alternatives is a difficult task. However, Bangladesh has no shortage of talented cricketers. If properly nurtured, a good number of high-quality cricketers will develop in the future.
According to ODI captain Tamim, there will be no big changes in the Bangladesh ODI squad before the 2023 World Cup. In that case, a significant number of players who won the Youth World Cup 2020 will be regularly seen in the Bangladesh squad after the ICC 2023 World Cup. Many people believe that with the guidance of those youngsters, Bangladesh will win the first ICC Cricket World Cup.
Read Bangladesh Cricket’s Next Generation Superstars: Potential Youngsters Who Could Lead the National Team
Tamim Iqbal wants to retire from one format
Bangladesh ODI captain Tamim Iqbal is planning to retire from one format of international cricket in the coming months.
The left-handed batsman recently led the Tigers in a three-match ODI series in New Zealand. He returned home after the series and skipped the T20 series citing personal reasons.
"There are many cricketers around who retired from one format to prolong their career," Tamim told Cricbuzz. "So, if I want to play for five or six more years, I won't be able to play all three formats of the game."
Also read: Tamim to skip New Zealand T20Is for personal reasons
"Like many other cricketers, I have to quit at least one format so that I can give my best to the other two formats," he continued.
Tamim came under immense criticism over the last few years for his slow batting in limited-over cricket. So, it was assumed that the left-hander would leave the T20 first, but he said otherwise.
"T20 cricket is still not out of my mind," Tamim said. "I don't want to mention what format I would like to leave first. It can be any format of international cricket."
Also read: New Zealand Series will define Tamim’s captaincy
"Of course the T20 World Cup in 2021 in India is on my sight," Tamim said when he was asked if he is going to quit T20 before this year's T20 World Cup. "I am not 36 or 37; so why not? I have a plan for my career."
"I know which format I want to play longer and which format I want to leave early. But for now, I don't want to disclose everything to everyone."
Bangladesh vs New Zealand ODI Series 2021: Bangladesh Team Report Card
Bangladesh lost the three-match ODI series (3-0) against host New Zealand after losing the third match by a massive 164-run margin on Friday at the Basin Reserve, Wellington. Except for the second match, Bangladesh had shown little intent against the host during the contest. Shakib Al Hasan didn't take part in the series for Bangladesh due to injury and personal reasons. Bangladesh had struggled against the Blackcaps because of his absence, which was understandable. Young players were regarded highly, but we had seen nothing remarkable from them. Here is the Bangladesh team report card at the end of the ODI series.
BAN vs NZ ODI Series 2021: Team Performance Breakdown
Batting/Top orders
Captain Tamim Iqbal was inconsistent in batting
Bangladesh’s top orders failed again in the series. Captain Tamim Iqbal only had a good outing in the do-or-die second ODI. Bangladesh had a real chance to upset New Zealand in the second match thanks to Tamim's 78 runs, but they eventually lost by 5 wickets.
Read: Key T20I Records between Bangladesh and New Zealand
Liton Das was unexciting. In the series, he only scored 40 runs, with his highest score of 21 runs coming in the third ODI. On the other side, Soumya Sarkar contributed 32 runs to an 81-run partnership with skipper Tamim in the second match. Soumya was promoted to no.3 position but he only managed to score 33 runs in three innings.
Batting/Middle-Order
Mohammad Mithun justified his selection for playing XI
Bangladesh's most important middle-order batsman Mushfiqur Rahim had a quiet series. He made some shot selection mistakes, resulting in just 78 runs in three innings. There was a high expectation from Mushfiqur but he was a massive disappointment throughout the series.
Mohammad Mithun was outstanding with the bat in the second ODI. He played an aggressive 73* runs knock and guided Bangladesh to post a challenging total defend and justified his inclusion in the playing XI. While Mahmudullah Riyad did his part with the bat as well. He played a couple of fiery knocks including unbeaten 76* runs in the third match. However, Bangladesh's batting performance in the series was not up to the mark.
Read: Mashrafe Mortaza drops a bombshell over his alleged T20 retirement in 2017
Bowling/Pace
Bangladeshi pacers were expensive in the series
Among the fast bowlers, Mustafizur Rahman and Rubel Hossain took the highest 3 wickets. While Taskin Ahmed scalped 2 and Hasan Mahmud took 1 wicket. However, every fast bowler was quite expensive.
The series was quite disappointing for Taskin Ahmed who made a comeback in the last series. Bangladesh fielders dropped at least 6 catches off Taskin's ball. Taskin could have been Bangladesh's most successful bowler if the catches had not been dropped.
Besides, Mohammad Saifuddin was able to slow down the scoring rate a little, but he did not take a wicket in the series.
Read: Shakib's 34th Birthday: 34 achievements to celebrate the no.1 all-rounder
Bowling/Spin
Mahedi Hasan exploited the opportunity with an encouraging bowling display
There was a lot of speculation about who would be in the starting XI between Mehidy Hasan and Mahadi Hasan. Tamim finally put both of them in the XI. Mahadi made the most of the chance. Considering all aspects, he was the most effective Bangladeshi bowler in the contest. Mahadi took two wickets with 4.58 economy rates in the series. He couldn't do much with the bat, though.
On the other hand, Mehidy Hasan Miraz couldn't pick up a wicket but he was the most economical (4.11) Bangladeshi bowler in the series.
Fielding
One of the main reasons Bangladesh conceded so many runs when bowling was poor fielding. They were less productive and displayed no real urge to put in extra effort, as they dropped countless catches. Mushfiqur Rahim's wicket-keeping was also subpar.
Read: Bangladesh vs New Zealand T20 Series 2021: Who can replace Tamim in the opening slot?
Bottom Line
With the exception of two or three players, the Bangladesh team report card shows that none of the other players had satisfactory performances in the series. Bangladesh still remains winless in New Zealand against the Blackcaps, but they should have played much better this series to build confidence for the future. For the upcoming home series against Sri Lanka, team management and selectors should carefully consider the overall performance of Bangladesh players.
Tamim Iqbal, Hasan Mahmud to return home Sunday
Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal and right-arm pacer Hasan Mahmud will arrive in Dhaka by 10 pm on Sunday, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) confirmed on Saturday.
Tamim has cleared earlier that he won’t be available for the three-match T20 series against New Zealand due to personal reasons while Hasan Mahmud has been suffering from a back injury since the second game of the three-match ODI series.
Hasan, a 21-year-old pacer, played the ODI series opener in Dunedin. In the same game, he sustained a blow on his back, and he will need more time to get rid of this injury. After returning home, he will be under observation of the BCB medical team.
Bangladesh lost the ODI series in New Zealand 3-0. They failed to pass the 200-run mark in the first and the last game. In the second game of the series, they posted 271 runs but failed to seal the match.
Also read: We need some big partnerships: Tamim Iqbal
Tamim, Mohammad Mithun and Mahmudullah Riyad hit a fifty each in the ODI series while Mahedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed bowled some good spells which are the only positive things that Bangladesh can take forward.
The Tigers will now take on the hosts for a three-match T20 series starting on March 28, with the remaining two games will take place on March 30 and April 1 at McLean Park, Napier and Eden Park, Auckland.
After this series, Bangladesh scheduled to tour Sri Lanka for a two-match Test series against the hosts. As per the schedule, both Tests will be played at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy with the first match taking place from April 21 to April 25 and the second match from April 29 to May 3.
Also read: Bangladesh includes Hasan Mahmud in Test squad against WI series
Before the series begins, the Bangladesh team will play an intra-squad game at Chilaw Marians Cricket Club Ground, Katunayake. This tour was originally scheduled to take place in September last year. But due to the Covid-19 situation and strict quarantine condition in the island nation, the series was postponed.
Bangladesh vs New Zealand T20 Series 2021: Who can replace Tamim in the opening slot?
After reaching New Zealand, Bangladesh ODI captain Tamim Iqbal told the media that he would not participate in the T20 series due to personal reasons. The Bangladesh Cricket Board could not make an alternative of Tamim as an opener in any format, therefore his absence will be a big blow for Bangladesh. Furthermore, this is Mahmudullah Riyad's first series as a permanent captain. As a result, Riyad will face a significant challenge in not having the team's most prolific batsman in a difficult condition like New Zealand. Let's discuss who can replace Tamim in the opening slot?
What should be the ideal alternative of Tamim Iqbal for the T20 format?
Tamim Iqbal holds almost all of Bangladesh's batting records. He is the first Tigers batsman to score a century in all formats. Tamim's only century in the T20 format came in the 2016 T20 World Cup against Oman. In that match, he played a fiery 103-run knock.
In consideration of Bangladesh's future, BCB should look for Tamim's replacement for the series against New Zealand. Since we must note that Tamim Iqbal is in his mid-30s and may not be able to play T20 cricket for a long time.
After the T20 World Cup 2021 in India, some Bangladeshi senior cricketers may retire from the format. In that case, the BCB should be more focused on finding a permanent alternative for the seniors from now on.
Tamim Iqbal’s T20 International Career
Batting Stats
Match
Inn
Runs
HS
S/R
100s
78
78
1758
103*
116.96
Read: Bangladesh vs New Zealand 2021: Tamim-led team shows promise in 2nd ODI
Five potential players to replace Tamim in the New Zealand T20 Series
Liton Kumar Das open the Bangladesh innings with Tamim in T20 format. So we left out him and mentioned five possible alternatives for the series. Let’s take a look at five players who can replace opener Tamim Iqbal for New Zealand series 2021
1. Soumya Sarkar
T20 Career Stats: M: 138 | Inn: 136 | Runs: 2,423 | HS: 88* | S/R: 119.24 | 100s: 0
Soumya Sarkar is the first name on Tamim's list of possible replacements. For the past seven years, he has been a member of the Bangladesh national team. But he hasn't been able to secure his place in the national team so far. The left-arm batsman has a lot of talent but could not make the most of it despite getting enough opportunities. Now he has retained his place in the team with medium pace in addition to batting. Soumya bats at number 7 and sometimes at number 3 when the team requires it. In the absence of Tamim, we could see Liton and Soumya open the innings for Bangladesh.
Read: Shakib Al Hasan: What lies ahead after a dispute with BCB?
2. Mohammad Naim
T20 Career Stats: M: 35 | Inn: 34 | Runs: 928 | HS: 105 | S/R: 116.43 | 100s: 01
Bangladesh toured India after the 2019 World Cup. Tamim Iqbal did not play in that tour. In his place, the former top-order batsman of the Bangladesh U19 side opened with Liton. He won his first international match. Naeem Sheikh demonstrated his talent by scoring 81 runs in the second Twenty20 match against India. Since then, the selectors have special attention to this tall left-arm batsman. Naim is now a regular member of the national team squad. However, he is not a regular starter due to a lack of opportunities. In the absence of Tamim, Mohammad Naeem is a strong contender to be Liton's opening partner.
Read: Pro Kabaddi Tournament Could Rejuvenate Bangladesh’s National Sport
3. Nazmul Hossain Shanto
T20 Career Stats: M: 61 | Inn: 57 | Runs: 1,208 | HS: 115* | S/R: 129.61 | 100s: 02
Nazmul Hossain Shanto, one of the best batsmen in the under-19 squad, has been a consistent performer in the domestic circuit. As a result, he is getting many chances to play for the national team. But, like Soumya, this young left-arm top-order batsman is struggling to capitalize on many opportunities. Nazmul Hossain Shant failed miserably after getting a chance in the ODI and Test series against the Windies at home last January. In the absence of veteran Tamim Iqbal, he may be given another opportunity to play against New Zealand. But would he be able to make the most of this opportunity this time?
Read: Potential Young Players Who Could Rule World Football Next Decade
4. Parvez Hossain Emon
T20 Career Stats: M: 10 | Inn: 10 | Runs: 233 | HS: 100* | S/R: 130.16 | 100s: 01
Top-order batsman Parvez Hossain Emon has the potential to be one of Bangladesh's brightest stars. He played a key role in helping Bangladesh win the U19 World Cup even after being injured in the final of the Youth World Cup against India. Parvez recently set a record by scoring a century off just 42 balls in a match of the Bangabandhu T20 Cup competition. Since then, he has gained the BCB selectors' favor. Parvez was included in Bangladesh's initial squad for the recent Windies series but was later omitted due to injury. He has a fair chance of being included in the squad for the forthcoming New Zealand series. In that case, Pervez Hossain Emon could represent Bangladesh in a match.
Read: How to Become a Cricketer in Bangladesh: An Overall Guideline
5. Anamul Haque Bijoy
T20 Career Stats: M: 119 | Inn: 114 | Runs: 2,378 | HS: 105 | S/R: 118.78 | 100s: 01
Enamul Bijoy was once regarded as a potential star for the Bangladesh national team. Enamul had an excellent start in the international arena, but he was dropped from the squad after the 2015 World Cup. He couldn't secure a place in the team after that.
Despite many opportunities, the right-handed top-order batsman was dropped from the national team for a poor batting display. However, the selectors may include this experienced batsman in Tamim's absence because of his consistent success in the domestic league. In that case, Liton's opening partner will be Enamul Haque.
Read: Famous Bangladeshi athletes with the most unique records
Bangladesh vs New Zealand 2021: Tamim-led team shows promise in 2nd ODI
While Bangladesh lost the second one-day International against New Zealand in Christchurch, the players' performance and attitude have significantly improved. Team tigers' could have won if they had been more concentrated on fielding in the last 10-15 overs of the match. But, in the end, Bangladesh had to concede a 5 wicket loss to the hosts due to numerous dropped catches and misfields. New Zealand clinched the series with one match in hand. Bangladesh's batsmen and bowlers maintained enough discipline in this match, therefore it was a closely-contested match. We will be explained in this article how the Tamim-led team shows promise in the Bangladesh v Newzealand 2nd ODI.
Key areas Bangladesh shown improvement in the BAN v NZ second ODI
Batting
Bangladesh were all-out for just 131 runs in the first match due to the failure of the batsmen. As a result, Bangladesh was defeated by 6 wickets in the match. The batsmen surrendered helplessly in front of the world-class Kiwi pacers due to their lack of experience playing on bouncy wickets and a lack of proper thinking. The bowlers, on the other hand, had little to do after the batsmen struggled.
In the second match, the complete opposite scenario was seen. After losing the toss, Captain Tamim Iqbal started batting very carefully. Seeing his attitude, it was clear that he came on the field with the conviction of playing a big innings. The way he was batting, the ODI captain of the Bangladesh team could have scored his 14th century on this day.
Read Bangladesh's five most memorable overseas ODI wins
He was run out for 6 runs and was deprived of another century. However, Tamim touched another milestone that day. He became the first Bangladeshi to score fifty fifties in the ODI format. Before him, only six openers in world cricket history made more than fifty half-centuries in the limited-overs format.
On this particular day, not only Tamim but also the rest of the team's batsmen looked solid. Soumya and Mushfiqur scored runs with the bat. Mohammad Mithun shocked everyone by coming in at number five in the batting order. Mithun played an attacking knock of unbeaten 73* off 57 balls until the end of the innings.
Read Key ODI Records between Bangladesh and New Zealand
Bangladesh's score would have been close to 300 if the lower middle-order batsmen had cooperated as expected. However, 271 runs was a challenging score to beat.
A certain kind of urge has been noticed among the batsmen. They wanted to prove their worth, as a result, Bangladesh did very well in the batting department. If professionalism is maintained, it is possible to deal with any obstacles. Bangladesh is expected to play well in the last match of the series.
Read: Pro Kabaddi Tournament Could Rejuvenate Bangladesh’s National Sport
Bowling
The bowlers gained trust as a result of the batsmen's responsible batting. In order to win this match, they started putting pressure on the visiting batsmen straight away. As a result, the Kiwis lost three wickets in 11 overs for just 53 runs.
Mahadi Hasan played the most important role in getting the wicket in the beginning. In his second ODI, Mahadi has already earned the confidence of the team management. Mehidy Hasan Miraj faces the toughest competition for a place in the XI.
Read: Shakib Al Hasan: What lies ahead after a dispute with BCB?
When comparing their performances, it is clear that Mahadi Hasan has outperformed Mehidy in both matches. Tamim Iqbal opted to keep both players in the starting XI in order to get the best out of them. Of course, the Bangladesh team benefits the most from this.
To get New Zealand back on track, Conway and Latham put on a century stand for the fourth wicket. Tamim Iqbal sent Conway to the pavilion with a direct thru run-out. Bangladesh hoped to make a comeback at that stage. Team tigers were able to put a lot of pressure on the Kiwis in the next few overs, but they were unable to win the match due to poor fielding performance.
Read: Potential Young Players Who Could Rule World Football Next Decade
Bangladesh's spinners looked excellent in this match. They didn't allow New Zealand batters to score freely. On the other hand, although the pacers' bowling figures showed some expense, they actually bowled very well. Taskin and Saifuddin bowled some bad deliveries under pressure. Mustafizur Rahman, on the other side, took two wickets but gave up 7.30 runs per over.
Captaincy
Tamim Iqbal captained this match very well. He has always been involved in inspiring the team after performing his duties with the bat. Also fixing the field position, changing the bowling everything was fine. Tamim Iqbal is slowly becoming a full-fledged captain. Bangladesh cricket fans are hoping for a bright future under his leadership.
Read Top Online Shops to Find Sports Equipment in Bangladesh
The particular areas where Bangladesh need further improvement
Despite their good batting and bowling performances, Bangladesh's fielding is the key reason for their loss in this match. Bangladesh came under fire for dropping catches at crucial moments. Furthermore, towards the end of the match, the Bangladeshi players seemed nervous. As a result, despite being in a strong position, the Tigers were unable to win the do-or-die match.
You must be equally strong in all areas to win in harsh environments on foreign soil. Cricketers must realize that even the tiniest error will alter the outcome of the game. Fielders must be more concentrated and committed in their play. In this situation, the captain must take on a unique role in reawakening the squad.
Read: Famous Bangladeshi athletes with the most unique records
Bottom Line
Bangladesh, on the whole, put a lot of pressure on New Zealand at home. If they had given it their all in the fielding department, the outcome of the game may have been different. Bangladesh will be able to play better in the future when they go on tour to countries like South Africa and Australia, thanks to the trust they gained from this match. Tamim's team has unquestionably shown tremendous potential.
Read How to Become a Cricketer in Bangladesh: An Overall Guideline
Tamim: Batsmen must step up in next games
Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal said the batsman failed to post a total that can be defended by the bowlers following an eight-wicket defeat in the first ODI against New Zealand in Dunedin.
New Zealand crush Bangladesh in 1st ODI
Bangladesh's dream of ending the winless drought in New Zealand dashed on Saturday as the Tigers lost the first match of the three-match ODI series against the hosts by eight wickets.
Tamim to skip New Zealand T20Is for personal reasons
Bangladesh ODI captain Tamim Iqbal confirmed that he will be unavailable in the upcoming T20 series against New Zealand due to personal reasons.