Bangladesh Watch 2015-2019

[Kriterion_BD]

Disappointing loss today, I slept through most of the game after watching the first hour. 317-6 was a reasonable bowling job especially with our lead seamer Taskin out with a side strain. But a good series overall. Great in fact, beating the #2 ranked side and going 5-1 combined vs India and Pakistan.

I really think we can knock the Saffers over next month, and who knows maybe win the series if we load up the spinners.

[CrimsonAvenger]

Pretty good job there by BD. I won't be surprised to see BD as the second best Asian team soon, Pak and SL going through a lot of experiments and changes. BD has created a home advantage now, clearly. I won't be surprised if they give SA a run for their money at home. They still have a long way to go while on tour though.

Seriously impressed with the talents of Soumya Sarkar, Litton Das and Mominul (tests only for now, but he will be there in ODIs soon I guess). I have always liked the talent of Nasir, but he keeps getting shunted out regularly for no reason though. Anyway, Soumya is now my leftie to watch in world cricket.

[Kriterion_BD]

Big test coming up starting today. Mathematically there is still a chance for us to miss out on the Champions Trophy although in my view, we're in. But regardless, this is a big test against a professional outfit. De Villiers didn't have a terrific time in the T20s scoring 42 runs from 2 innings and has gone home on paternity leave for the rest of the tour. Will be an interesting attack without Steyn, but he doesn't really play ODIs to begin with.

Honestly, beating a full strength India in SC conditions is more impressive than beating a somewhat full strength SA in conditions where they are likely to struggle in. However, most people think this is BD's biggest test. Not sure I agree with that, but its a big test to be sure.

I won't make any predictions and while Bangladesh are capable of winning the series, I think we'll be OK so long as we don't get whitewashed.

[maehara]

3.4 Tamim Iqbal b Rabada 0 (13b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00
3.5 Litton Das c Behardien b Rabada 0 (1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00
3.6 Mahmudullah lbw b Rabada 0 (1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

Hat-trick on debut for Kagiso Rabada. Oh dear.

[Kriterion_BD]

Much needed reality check for BD, IMO. A whitewash will hurt, we must somehow avoid that. Saffers aren't even playing at full strength unlike India and Pakistan.

But I'm excited because Mustafizur, who many fans claimed was too "slow" a bowler clocked 88 mph today to go along with his superb control and off cutters. He could become a fast version of Chaminda Vaas.

[maehara]

SA 162 all out in the 2nd game - looks like a good chance for a BD win in this one.

[Kriterion_BD]

Sensational win today! This is almost a full strength SA side with only ABD and Morkel sitting out (Rabada is prolly just as good as Steyn in this format). Regardless the margin of defeat means that even ABD or Steyn wouldn't have been able to reverse the result. But the pleasing thing has been the mental strength. Showed resilience to come back and thrash SA after being thrashed in the first 3 games of the tour. Also took a lot of mental fortitude in the World Cup to chase down 318 against Scotland without breaking a sweat and then outlasting England in a very tight game.

I love how skeptical some people (especially Bhindopaksters) are of this current BD team playing overseas as if we've beaten Pakistan, India, and South Africa with our spinners on raging turners. Today's pitch had a bit of turn, but the real damage was still done by our seamers who've done very well on the dead BD tracks. Imagine how nasty they will be in conditions that offer something for the quicks. Top 6 or even top 5 seam attack in ODIs doesn't seem so far-fetched now I bet, Jaybro! Yes, I'll admit when I made that prediction back in January I hadn't accounted for Mustafizur. If I had, I'd have said top 3 seam attack !

Ever since we knocked off a nearly full strength Australia (Lee was the only absentee) at Cardiff back in 2005, Bangladesh was known to be able to beat anybody "on there day". By 2013 we had proved we could win the odd home series against lower to middle ranked sides (NZ regardless of rank are a very strong side based on the squads we beat in 2010 and 2013). But now I think the cricket world realizes we will be as strong on our own turf as any top side in the world.

In 2005, we were ranked 11th in ODIs...we finished the world cup ranked 9th, and today we're 7th and not far behind England for 6th. With such a young side, we'll be a top 5 team for years to come. If everything goes as planned.

From 2005-2009 we had only won 9 ODIs and lost 50 against the top 8 sides. 3 of those wins were against WI B team.

Since 2010 we have improved that record to 23 wins, 47 losses. Since the World Cup we are 6-2 at home.

Our away record since 2010 is only 2 wins 11 losses and we are 1-6 in AUS/NZ/ENG/SA vs any side. So both of those records need to be improved and I think the side we are assembling now will be a decent side overseas as well.

[jaybro]

I agree with almost everything u said except the comparison of Robanda to Steyn, surely Steyn deserves more credit .....

It's a shame AB isn't there as it gives the pessimists an excuse, but well done BD beating India and Pakistan and now one game away from beating RSA as well .....

All of a sudden the 5-0 loss Zim had doesn't look as bad lol .....

BD must feel confident about beating Australia in a few months ???

[Kriterion_BD]

Well we have beaten SA when they did have ABD in the side (and Pollock, Kallis, Smith, and Ntini). Regardless when you lose by 7 wickets inside 30 overs, you'd need AB, Superman, Iron Man, and the Hulk...and then maybe the game would be close. Regardless there are large segments of the Indian and Pakistani fanbase that will still consider BD minnows even if we are #1 in Tests, win the ODI world cup, and the WT20 too. These are people who committed genocide and raped 200,000 women in their hate for Bangladeshis. Of course I'm not saying all Indians or Pakistanis are murderers and rapists - but a significant minority has that mindset.

On present form I think the Steyn-Rabada comparison is valid. What are the chances of Steyn taking 6-16 and 8 for 50 odd after 2 games? I mean Steyn has never focused on ODIs ever - probably why he's been so good in Tests. But you have to remember that Rabada is only 20. He could be the best bowler in the world in 2-3 years time. Where was Dale Steyn at 20?

Unfortunately we don't have any ODIs lined up against AUS. We're definitely good enough to win a game or even the series against them. As for the Tests, it depends on what kind of wickets we lay out. Seaming surface we'll get throttled. Flat track might allow us to push for a drawn series but even then you'd back Australia to win at least 1-0 if not 2-0. I'd back us to lose 0-1. A turner might give us a shot at winning a Test and while Taijul and Jubair are good, they are both fairly green.

The other big question is will Taskin be fit enough to make a Test debut by October. He has personally stated his ambitions of being ready "within a year" so maybe he's targetting the ZIM series in January. I of course would like to see him debut as early as possible.

[jaybro]

Oh I see I thought you guys had ODI's against us, the tests will be interesting as we can't play spin at all ......

I still think comparing Steyn to Robanda isn't fair remember vitori had 10 for not much after two ODI's as well ....