Batting has been Bangladesh’s main concern throughout the year 2014. And with the 2015 ICC World Cup just around the corner, the Tigers required some much-needed improvements in the bilateral series at home against Zimbabwe.
Before the home series against the Southern African nation, Bangladesh’s batting department experienced one low after another in this year. The Tigers hardly did any justice to their grand nickname as they were skittled out for 58 and 70 in ODIs against India and the West Indies respectively earlier this year.
To add to their woes, Bangladesh were dismissed for 161 in a Test innings against the West Indies in September besides being bundled out for 98 against the same opposition in the ICC World Twenty20 in March.
These batting failures not only frustrated the cricketers but also the millions of cricket-mad supporters in this country. That is why the series against Zimbabwe was that much important ahead of the showpiece event in Australia-New Zealand next year.
As of now, three Tests and as many ODIs have taken place between the home side and Zimbabwe. And looking into the scorecard of the ongoing series, it seems that the Tigers batsmen have recovered bravely from their flagging fortunes in recent times.
The Tigers got off to a flying start in the bilateral series registering a clean sweep in the Test matches. Besides the Bangladesh spinners, credit should also be given to the batsmen for improving the side’s plight. In those three Tests, the Tigers garnered 1858 runs, including scoring 503 in the first innings of the third match in Chittagong.
Top-order batsman Mominul Haque continued to make merry in five-day cricket while opener Tamim Iqbal played his role to perfection.
The Bangladesh batsmen did the same in the first three ODIs, dominating the Zimbabwean bowlers to post totals of 281/7, 251/7 and 297/6 – the first time they scored more than 250 in three ODIs in a row since 2009 when they achieved the feat against the same opposition.
Opening batsman Anamul Haque leads the batting chart for the home side in the first three ODIs with 187 runs followed by Shakib al Hasan (141), Mushfiqur Rahim (125) and Tamim (121).
The most pleasing aspect is that the Bangladesh batsmen are taking time to settle at the wicket and in the process stringing together record-breaking partnerships. Shakib and Mushfiq’s 148-run stand for the fifth wicket in the first ODI was the highlight alongside Tamim and Anamul’s 158-run partnership for the opening wicket in the second match.
In the third ODI too, Tamim and Anamul added more than a hundred runs – the first time a Bangladeshi opening pair posted more than 100-run partnerships in consecutive ODIs. l
