Bangladesh v Pakistan, 2nd ODI, Mirpur

Bangladesh batsmen must step up

The Preview by Siddhartha Talya

December 2, 2011

 Tamim Iqbal

Match facts

Saturday, December 3
Start time 1330 (0730 GMT)

Big Picture

Bangladesh are floundering. Their performance has been just as abject as Pakistan's has been dominant. The depth in the pace attack that gave Pakistan that extra advantage against Sri Lanka in the Test series in the Middle East has been complemented superbly by their spinners in the limited-overs formats. Shahid Afridi, Saeed Ajmal, Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez have outshone their Bangladesh counterparts, whose over-reliance on Shakib Al Hasan's all-round abilities can only take them so far.

The slow and low tracks in Mirpur may have stifled Pakistan's batting, but it's done worse for the hosts. Their captain Mushfiqur Rahim said: "I have not experienced what home advantage is in the last two series, to be honest with you. When you talk about home advantage, you expect to be playing on pitches you are familiar with, so you know what a good total would be, be it 240 or 150." But he was also prompt to point out that his batsmen "lacked application". They lasted just 30.3 overs in the previous game, struggled to last 20 overs in the Twenty20 game before that and even in Tests, and have largely found it tough to bat for extended periods.

The pitches so far may not have been to their liking, but they've still played to Bangladesh's strength - spin. They've just been up against opponents who, apart from being significantly superior, have exploited those conditions better. Not many expected Bangladesh to cause an upset against an opponent that is on a high, but not many would have thought they'd capitulate this badly at home. With four games still remaining on the tour, their batsmen, especially, need to step up as no one's exposed the difference between the teams as glaringly as they have.

Form guide

Bangladesh: LWLLW (most recent first)
Pakistan: WWWWL

In the spotlight...

Tamim Iqbal missed the Twenty20 game due to a knee injury and was dismissed for a duck in the first ODI. A fluent strokemaker, he's also shown the ability to play long innings, and in testing conditions he's among the best equipped in his side to face the Pakistan bowling. He got half-centuries in each of the two home Tests against West Indies before this series and as their best batsman, needs to lead by example.

Sarfraz Ahmed, the Pakistan wicketkeeper, has done reasonably well behind the stumps but hasn't really impressed with the bat. He has an average of 45.16 in first-class cricket but has only managed a highest of 24 in his last five innings. Pakistan have been trying out Umar Akmal behind the stumps in some limited-overs matches, and Sarfraz needs to do much more with the bat to keep his place.

Team news

Bangladesh may look to bring Imrul Kayes back to strengthen their batting.

Bangladesh (possible) 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Imrul Kayes, 3 Shahriar Nafees, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (capt & wk), 5 Shakib Al Hasan, 6 Mahmudullah, 7 Naeem Islam, 8 Nasir Hossain, 9 Abdur Razzak, 10 Shafiul Islam, 11 Rubel Hossain.

Pakistan are likely to retain the same side as they attempt to take the series, and leave any experimentation for the third ODI.

Pakistan (possible) 1 Mohammad Hafeez, 2 Imran Farhat, 3 Younis Khan, 4 Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), 5 Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), 6 Umar Akmal, 7 Shahid Afridi, 8 Shoaib Malik, 9 Saeed Ajmal, 10 Umar Gul, 11 Aizaz Cheema.

Stats and trivia

• Mushfiqur Rahim is just 14 away from reaching 2000 runs in ODIs. He'll be the sixth Bangladesh batsman to get to that landmark when he does.

Quotes

"If the batsmen want they can survive. You can take singles, rotate the strike and play yourself in. Maybe because of Twenty20 cricket now, batsmen don't have the temperament."
Shahid Afridi presents a different take on the Mirpur pitch

Siddhartha Talya is a sub editor at ESPNcricinfo

Tamim Iqbal blasted 32 before he was bowled

Tamim Iqbal blasted 32 before he was bowled, Bangladesh v Australia, 3rd ODI, Mirpur, April 13, 2011

 © Associated Press

Tamim Iqbal blasted 32 before he was bowled, Bangladesh v Australia, 3rd ODI, Mirpur, April 13, 2011 © Associated Press

Bangladesh crash out

Bangladesh crash out, SA top group

Bangladesh v South Africa, Group B, World Cup 2011, Mirpur

Abject Bangladesh surrender meekly

Lonwabo Tsotsobe

Bangladesh were not favourites to win their virtual pre-quarterfinal against the might of South Africa, especially after the visitors breezed away to 284, but it was the meek manner of their abject batting surrender that would have jarred even their most faithful fans. Eight overs in to the tall chase, and the heart of their batting line-up had been ripped out by Lonwabo Tsotsobe, causing the substantial crowd at the Shere Bangla Stadium to quickly start dwindling. They never recovered from those initial blows, and all they managed was to beat their lowest total of 58 achieved against West Indies earlier in the tournament by 20 runs, before being put out of their misery by Robin Peterson's fourth wicket.

This was after South Africa came out blazing in the morning, and the solid base that the openers gave allowed Jacques Kallis and Faf du Plessis to consolidate and accelerate seamlessly, giving their spin-heavy attack a substantial cushion to stifle Bangladesh and bowl them to the top the group. That they did so with 206 runs to spare was a testimony to how the fight completely went out of Bangladesh, and also confirmed England's qualification for the knockouts.

It was not that South Africa's attack, minus Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, held a lot of alarms. Tsotsobe did get enough bounce off the slow wicket to trouble the batsmen, and also got it to cut in from a very tight line outside off stump. But it was more a case of poor shot selection by the Bangladesh batsmen under the pressure of a big chase in a must-win game in front of a large home crowd. The first four dismissals were demonstrations of the various ways of how not to play on a low and slow wicket.

Tamim Iqbal was too early into the pull off a short Tsotsobe delivery that was way outside off stump, and was caught behind off a healthy under-edge, as South Africa referred successfully after umpire Daryl Harper missed the deflection. Imrul Kayes shouldered arms to a full Tsotsobe delivery that cut back in to shatter the stumps. Graeme Smith had started with Johan Botha, and his suffocating lines had Junaid Siddique in absolute uncertainty, not sure whether to go back or forward, and he ended up being trapped in front by one that went straight on. Shahriar Nafees played on, driving in princely fashion from the crease to one that nipped back in slowly.

Bangladesh's chase was only eight overs old, and already their dream had caved in at 21 for 4. Mushfiqur Rahim pottered around for some time before being snapped up one-handed by an alert Smith at slip off Peterson. Before his dismissal, Bangladesh managed seven runs in the bowling Powerplay, the lowest in the tournament, trumping Kenya who had made nine runs against Sri Lanka.

Amid all the anti-climax, Shakib Al Hasan displayed his class, straight-driving and pulling Tsotsobe, and caressing and slashing the spinners for boundaries. There were loud cheers as Bangladesh passed 58 but Shakib departed soon after as Bangladesh's party rapidly came to a rude end. Peterson cleaned up the tail as Bangladesh lasted all of 28 overs to bring the curtain down on what was ultimately a chaotic campaign.

Bangladesh's struggles stood out against the contrasting approaches of Hashim Amla and Graeme Smith, which had worked perfectly for South Africa at the top as the duo batted their way to a 98-run opening stand. It was fascinating to see how the openers went about tackling the spinners in their different styles. While Amla allowed the ball to come to him, and played it as late as possible off the back foot, Smith was very eager to push forward and use his feet frequently in an attempt to meet the ball early.

Amla carried on in the nonchalant fashion that has made him the world's most prolific one-day batsman of late. Anything marginally short was quickly dispatched, even against the turn. Smith was uncertain to start with, but Bangladesh helped him settle the nerves with a couple of freebies on leg stump that he happily put away past short fine leg.

It was only after the drinks break that the openers lost their cool and their wickets. JP Duminy followed and at 141 for 3 with 20 overs to go, Bangladesh were in it. But Kallis and du Plessis started milking the singles calmly. Only four boundaries were hit in the next 12 overs but South Africa still scored at five an over. The duo added 82 risk-free runs inside 15 overs as the Bangladesh attack struggled for penetration.

Peterson did not let South Africa miss the seventh batsman they had left out, clattering 22 in nine deliveries as 83 came off the last eight overs. Even though wickets tumbled late, there was enough spunk in Peterson and Botha to lift South Africa to 284. It turned out to be much more than sufficient for a Bangladesh outfit that finally lost the spark that had made it come back strongly twice in the tournament after crushing losses to West Indies and India, with wins over England, Ireland, and Netherlands.

Now or never for Bangladesh

Bangladesh v South Africa, Group B, World Cup 2011, Mirpur

Now or never for Bangladesh

Tamim Iqbal to step up

Match Facts

March 19, Mirpur
Start time 09.30 am (03.30 GMT)

The Big Picture

The back-door is shut now. Had West Indies won their game last night, Bangladesh would have made it through to the quarter-finals. As it turned out, the game between West Indies and England twisted and turned, went inside-out, upside-down, before England bit another bullet and stayed alive in the tournament. Surely about a 1000 miles north, the Bangladesh players watched in hope and later in agony in their team hotel in Dhaka. Thanks to that result, Bangladesh are now a point behind England, and a long way behind every contender in terms of net run-rate. There is an upside too: Bangladesh no longer need to watch helplessly, hoping for some other team to do what is desirable for them.

It's relatively simple now: beat South Africa and go through, no who-does-what elsewhere in the group. However, just the thought and the equation are simple, not actually beating South Africa, whose pace attack - even on the slow and low pitch at Mirpur - will provide the hosts with their biggest test. South Africa have also been on a bit of a roll, their tight win against India cancelling out the close defeat to England. They will want to finish at the top of the table, and hence face the fourth-placed team in Group A. Given how this World Cup has gone, it might not be the most desirable thing to do, for it could mean they might have to face Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka.

There is no reason why Bangladesh shouldn't back themselves, though. They have beaten South Africa in a World Cup before, they have the advantage of home conditions, they have had back-to-back wins, but they also know this is not going to be easy. It's been a funny World Cup so far: Bangladesh, bowled out for 58 by West Indies, were supporting West Indies yesterday; England, great rivals of South Africa, will be supporting South Africa tomorrow, as will be West Indies.

Graeme Smith certainly doesn't want to miss a poke at England. "I think English fans are getting used to supporting South Africans these days," he said on the eve of this game.

What happens if…

South Africa win: Bangladesh are knocked out, and India, England and West Indies go through

Bangladesh win: Bangladesh go through, leaving West Indies a must-win game against India

The game is tied or no-result: England go through thanks to a superior net run-rate, and Bangladesh are left hoping West Indies lose their game on Sunday

Form guide

(completed matches, most recent first)
Bangladesh WWLWL
South Africa WWLWW

Pitch and conditions

The Bangladesh part of the World Cup returns to Shere Bangla Stadium in Mirpur, where Bangladesh will like a turning surface, but it is not quite possible to create a rank turner in Mirpur. The best they can manage is the low and slow pitch that they rolled out for Ireland. There is no rain forecast, and there shouldn't be too much of early-morning freshness for this day game, because the sun is already about three-and-a-half hours old by the 9.30 am start in Bangladesh.

Watch out for...

Bangladesh's best batsman, Tamim Iqbal, hasn't had a great World Cup, and he knows how much rests on him. He will want to set that record straight, and make sure this is not his last chance in the tournament.

Graeme Smith has had his share of problems at the top of the order, but playing Bangladesh in Bangladesh provides him with a fairly good challenge before the knockouts.

Team news

Bangladesh won't make too many changes to their winning combination, except that offspinner Naeem Islam is likely to replace left-arm spinner Suhrawadi Shuvo, on account of a few left-hand batsmen in the South African line-up.

Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Imrul Kayes, 3 Junaid Siddique, 4 Shahriar Nafees, 5 Shakib Al Hasan (capt), 6 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 7 Mahmudullah, 8 Suhrawadi Shuvo / Naeem Islam, 9 Abdur Razzak, 10 Shafiul Islam, 11 Rubel Hossain.

South Africa are back to full fitness, and Imran Tahir may come back in place of either Johan Botha or Robin Peterson. If AB de Villiers comes back, he might not keep, which might mean that Colin Ingram, despite his 46 against Ireland, might have to sit out.

South Africa (probable): 1 Graeme Smith (capt), 2 Hashim Amla, 3 Jacques Kallis, 4 AB de Villiers, 5 JP Duminy, 6 Faf du Plessis, 7 Morne van Wyk (wk), 8 Johan Botha / Imran Tahir, 9 Robin Peterson, 10 Dale Steyn, 11 Morne Morkel

Stats

• No Bangladesh batsman has scored a World Cup century.
• The only time Bangladesh have beaten South Africa in international cricket was in Providence in the previous World Cup.
• AB de Villiers, with 318 runs from four innings, is the only middle-order batsman in the top-six run-getters of the tournament so far.

Quotes

"We are on the right track and moving forward to our target as we already have won three matches out of five as per our expectation. Everything is okay with the team, but still we believe that we are yet to play our best cricket in the tournament."
Tamim Iqbal calls for his team to play the best they can

"They need to win the game. We expect a very passionate crowd. They will also be the team under pressure so we hope to be able to force them into doing things they wouldn't want to do."
Graeme Smith knows who will be more desperate come Saturday

Shahzad double wrecks Bangladesh

Tamim Iqbal

Bangladesh v England, World Cup 2011, Group B, Chittagong

Kayes and Shakib build on Tamim fireworks

Shahzad double wrecks Bangladesh

Tamim Iqbal
© Getty Images

Tamim Iqbal launched Bangladesh's bid for World Cup survival with a brutal onslaught of 38 from 26 balls, before England hit back with three timely wickets to give themselves hope of defending a meagre total of 225 at Chittagong. By the halfway mark of the run-chase, however, Bangladesh were still very much in control of the contest at 123 for 3, with Graeme Swann's inability to grip the ball in dewy conditions undermining England's hopes of tightening the pressure in the middle overs.

After a stuttering finish to their effort with the bat, England carried on misfiring with their initial efforts with the new ball, as the dangerman Tamim was gifted a succession of leg-stump deliveries to kick-start the run-chase and get a partisan crowd right behind his team's efforts. Four of his five boundaries came from the errant James Anderson, and at 52 for 0 in the ninth over, Bangladesh were cruising into the ascendancy.

However, Tim Bresnan has stepped up to become the leader of England's attack in recent weeks, and in his second over he found an aggressive full length with a hint of late movement, and a flat-footed Tamim inside-edged onto his own stumps to stun the crowd back into silence. Four overs later, Anderson atoned for his wayward bowling with a pinpoint shy from backward square to run out Junaid Siddique at the non-striker's end.

Though England had considered playing three spinners in the lead-up to the match, they were very happy to have stuck to what they know when Swann's problems with the slippery white ball started to take hold. Andrew Strauss turned to Ravi Bopara for some fill-in overs of medium pace, while Stuart Broad's replacement, Ajmal Shahzad, produced a mixed bag of deliveries - a regular stream of leg-side wides was offset by the ball of the day to Raqibul Hasan, a perfect legcutter that straightened from a good length to hit the top of off.

With Imrul Kayes dropping anchor to excellent effect, Bangladesh's captain Shakib Al Hasan emerged to provide critical support in a fourth-wicket stand of 50. Shakib made a half-century in Bangladesh's last World Cup fixture against England in 2007, and at the end of a torrid off-the-field week, he found that the middle of the pitch was the safest place to be.

A sumptuous drive off Anderson confirmed his eye was in, although England regained a small measure of control when the umpires agreed to a ball-change after 21 overs, and Swann was instantly in the thick of things with a tidy fourth over that went for two runs. However, the more notable aspect of the over was Swann's petulance when called for a leg-side wide that might have brushed Shakib's pad. Aside from the extra run, it was a sign that England were getting very seriously rattled.

49.4 overs England 225 (Trott 67, Morgan 63, Naeem 2-29) v Bangladesh