‘We have dreamt and waited for this moment’

Bangladesh created history on Sunday by becoming the fourth team to win their 100th Test match after their four-wicket victory against host Sri Lanka in the second and final five-dayer at P Sara Oval in Colombo. In the process, the Tigers levelled the series 1-1. The Tigers chased down their target of 191 runs in the fifth and final day after a magnificent 82-run knock from Tamim Iqbal. Sabbir Rahman also joined in the party, scoring 41. Alongside Tamim, Sabbir put together 109 important runs for the third wicket to lay the foundation for the memorable win. There were celebrations all over the country and it was no different for chief national selector Minhajul Abedin Nannu, who saluted the cricketers for the victory. “I think it’s a remarkable win for Bangladesh. It’s satisfying being the selector of this team. The most important thing is that we learned from six or seven close Test defeats. It helped us to improve as a Test team, which we were unable to do before due to playing less matches in this particular format. After doing well in the ODIs we were always looking forward to establishing ourselves as a good Test team. And this win in the 100th Test away from home against a team like Sri Lanka will definitely set the tone for the coming days,” Nannu told Dhaka Tribune on Sunday. “We have always dreamt and waited for this moment when Bangladesh will win Test matches away from home against formidable opposition. And I think the players have stood up to the landmark occasion and gifted the country a great win. I salute them for this achievement,” he said. Veteran cricket coach and former journalist Jalal Ahmed Chowdhury marked the “Joy Bangla” series draw as a moment to cherish for the country in the unforgettable month that is March. “It’s a historic win for Bangladesh as the name of the series is “Joy Bangla”. This is the month of independence. So there is some sentiment involved in it. The cricketers did not let go the cup. This is something I am happy about,” said Jalal. “This win will definitely boost the morale of the team, although I think there was still some lack of confidence initially. If they were more confident, Bangladesh could have won the game easily,” he added. Meanwhile, left-arm spinner Enamul Haque Jr told Dhaka Tribune, “The win is incredible for Bangladesh because we have won matches at home recently. But the win in Sri Lanka proves that we do have the ability to win an away game too. And the win in the 100th Test has literally doubled the celebration. “It was our spinners who had set the tone when we bowled in the first innings. Mehedi [Hasan Miraz] took some quick wickets ahead of lunch and set the momentum. This was well complemented by Shakib [al Hasan] in the second innings with four wickets. The wicket did not have much help for the spinners. So it was literally our bowlers who had to be smart and do the job and restrict Sri Lanka to 319 in the second innings. So the spinners had a great contribution but then again it was a total team effort that got us the victory.”