Bangladesh on Wednesday woke up to a cricketing history as the men’s national team secured a record eight-wicket victory over World Test champions New Zealand at the Mount Maunganui. Bangladesh fast bowlers Ebadot Hossain and Taskin Ahmed emerged as the heroes on the first session of the final day of the game.
The duo reduced the Kiwis from overnight score of 147 for five to 169 in the first session and set Bangladesh 40 runs to chase to the historical win. Ebadot finished with career best 6 for 46 and emerged as the first Bangladesh pacer to bag five wickets in the format since 2013 while Taskin ended with three under his belt in the innings as the home team was able to add just 15 runs to the board losing the last five wickets.
Bangladesh with the win found their first victory in New Zealand against New Zealand in any format of cricket and the first Test win in 16 attempts. The victory is Bangladesh’s first away from home against a top five ranked opposition while only the sixth win away from home in 61 games.
Player of the match and Bangladesh hero Ebadat speaking at the post match press conference emphasised on the hard work he had to put in last two years. But it was very recently that the right-arm pacer has been able to make an impact.
In the only Test in the tour of Zimbabwe July last, Ebadot, the fastest bowler of a talent hunt held in 2016, figured out the mantra to bowl in the right areas and the change is evident compared to the game he played before.
Before the Harare Test, Ebadat featured in seven Tests for Bangladesh and picked only eight wickets at an average of 90.71 with an economy rate of 3.89. And since the game in Zimbabwe, the Bangladesh bowler played five Tests, picked eight wickets with his average falling drastically down to 47.50 while the economy rate also came under control at 3.27.
“Last two years I have been working with Ottis Gibosn and he would always help me in the nets. Back home the wickets are flat so there is not much help for the pace bowlers. So we have trying to learn hard on the ways to bowl in overseas condition, on how to reverse the ball and how to bowl in the good length. So we are still in the learning process. I personally try to hit the top of the stumps and with little patience the success if coming my way,” said Ebadot.
Ebadot revealed it was the strong ambition of the team that has found Bangladesh the rare success. The game at Mount Maunganui was at a balance and its pace seemed the tie would finish as a draw. However, Ebadot complemented with others in the bowling attack made a sharp turn to the table and bring a significant win to Bangladesh cricket history.
“We had come to New Zealand with a set goal. We as a team had raised our hands with ambition of breaking the winning draught and we strongly believed that we can achieve it on New Zealand soil. We have come as a young team missing out of few seniors, so we had set a goal that we have to win against New Zealand,” said the Bangladesh paceman.
Ebadot has already attracted the world cricket with his signature ‘salute celebration’ and the former air force man also revealed the mystery behind it.
“I am a soldier of Bangladesh Air Force so I know how to do the salute. It’s a long story of me coming from volley ball to cricket. I am enjoying cricket, trying to represent Bangladesh in the best way possible and represent Bangladesh Air Force,” he added.