True to form, the 2-0 win in Pakistan came against a backdrop of strife and adversity
Mohammad Isam13-Sep-2024Najmul Hossain Shanto was on his way to the elevator. He had just finished the tour’s final press conference, after leading the side to their maiden Test series win against Pakistan. Bangladesh had completed the six-wicket victory by mid-afternoon on the fifth day. It left them a bit of a breather between arguably their greatest moment in Tests and their evening flight home.The staff and security personnel in the media centre had taken selfies with the Bangladesh captain, and he was walking, relaxed, taking in the compliments. Then the question.”Shanto, what is the secret to this 2-0 win?””One word: belief,” Shanto said, his hand on his heart.Bangladesh went to Pakistan after the T20 World Cup, where they meekly surrendered to Afghanistan in the Super Eight. Their fans turned their backs on them; the rest of the world lost interest. Bangladesh found themselves, ironically, in the kind of position that Pakistan have always prided themselves on fighting their way out of – that of the cornered tiger.Related
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Bangladesh have a history of motivating themselves to rise after their worst moments. On an awful tour of England in 2005, where they were battered on the field and blasted by cricket’s greats off it, they summoned all their energy and emotion to beat mighty Australia. There was no cricketing or worldly explanation for that Cardiff game; it was one of cricket’s great miracles.Three years later, when a significant group of Bangladeshi cricketers signed up for the rebel Indian Cricket League tournament, Bangladesh cricket was in tatters. They handed debuts to a few youngsters. The public doubted whether the team could ever win again, but they did, managing to beat New Zealand in their first ODI after the exodus.This pattern has been common enough over the last 15 years or so, and it marked the Rawalpindi wins too. Bangladesh arrived in Pakistan on the back of a prolonged run of poor results, including two disastrous World Cups. In the weeks leading up to the tour, the cricketers lived through a violent revolution at home, many leaving for Pakistan after having defended their homes from dacoits and looters, and having suffered losses of various kinds. There was no cricket board to speak of; the BCB’s president and several directors went into hiding after the Awami League government resigned early in August.Shanto had his work cut out, but he had at his disposal two veterans, a couple of Test specialists, an encouraging group of fast bowlers, an able wicketkeeper, and a hungry allrounder. Off the field it was an interesting mix. Bangladesh’s head coach, Chandika Hathurusinghe, had faced criticism, and chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain had only returned to the BCB earlier in the year after a decade in administrative hiatus. At least Rabeed Imam, the experienced manager, brought a calming presence.One of the things Shanto was especially pleased about was the team-first ethos that marked the tour. He called it one of the hallmarks of the series win. Every batter who got a start made sure he capitalised, in terms of time spent at the wicket, or runs scored. The fast bowlers pounded in all day as a pack.”In the past, we have had many individual performances in the team,” Shanto told ESPNcricinfo in Rawalpindi. “This time, every player contributed to the team’s exact requirement. They thought about the team first. They were only worried about the team. Nobody looked for personal milestones.Shanto (third from right) embraces Litton Das after the win in the second Test•Aamir Qureshi/AFP/Getty Images”The way Mushfiq [Rahim] bhai played during his 191 in the first Test, you could see that he wanted to bat a little more for the team. When Mehidy [Hasan Miraz] made 78 in the second Test, he didn’t think about his century. He had gone out to bat at 26 for 6. It was clear that he wanted to take the team to a better position.”Look at how Litton [Das] batted for so long with Hasan Mahmud. Even after scoring 138, he felt like he could have given more.”Nahid Rana bowled fast all day. Hasan Mahmud held a spot all day. Taskin [Ahmed] returned after a long time – he is trying hard for the team. Everyone is supporting the bowlers. The one who drops a catch gets a pat on the back. It was a great environment. I know that winning a match always brings out positives. I know that big performances become famous. They are talked about. But these small factors were effective for the team.”A member of the touring party who requested anonymity echoed the captain’s sentiments. “Bangladesh were a treat to watch on this tour,” he said. “There’s a definite change in mindset among the younger lot. We had to take nine wickets on the fifth day [of the first Test] when Shoriful [Islam] told everyone loud and clear that we will win the game. It showed that he had the desire [and was ready to work to make it come true].”Mehidy had a huge role. He bowled beautifully, and then made those telling contributions from No 8. The way he looked hungry and eager to be in the wicket safter his half-century in the second Test, it gave a different vibe to the team. When we [came back into] the contest from 26 for 6, it added a new dimension to this team.”We don’t do these kinds of things. The incredible partnership between Litton and Mehidy suggested to the whole dressing room that we can turn the game from any situation.”
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Having the right attitude paid off for the Bangladesh batters, who, more than their bowling counterparts, had had an ordinary year in all three formats. So when openers Shadman Islam and Zakir Hasan fought hard in the first innings of the series, it sent a strong message to the dressing room.New blood: Bangladesh’s exciting young fast bowler Nahid Rana•Farooq Naeem/AFP/Getty Images”The majority of the pre-tour preparation was simply focused on making better decisions consistently in the nets,” batting coach David Hemp said. “Being clear about which balls to attack, defend or leave, coupled with judging length – whether to move forward or back.”[Shadman and Zakir] approach the way they bat and their individual innings in different ways, and as such, both had their own particular areas that they were working on pre-series. However, decision-making is vital, and as a batting group we discussed the importance of time and making the opposition bowlers come back for four-plus spells. This was something that we identified after the Sri Lanka series in March.”Shadman and Zakir eked out 250 balls across their opening stands in the series, the most by a Bangladeshi opening pair in an overseas series in more than five years. It gave the middle order less to worry about and more to build on. Between Mushfiqur Rahim, Mominul Haque and Shakib Al Hasan there was just the one century and one half-century, but those three players made valuable contributions on and off the field.Thankfully, Litton and Mehidy stepped up in both Tests. Litton’s taking the attack to Naseem Shah in the first Test – off whom he scored 18 runs in an over at the end of the third day – blunted Pakistan, and then he put on that epic 165-run stand with Mehidy that changed the course of the second Test.”Litton is a very talented and experienced all-round player,” Hemp said. “What was impressive was his discipline and patience to absorb pressure, and then additionally his awareness to exert pressure the other way by attacking the bowling at key moments.”Mehidy again made significant contributions at critical moments with the bat. He is naturally an attacking player, which is a big strength, so it can be a challenge to navigate what to do in certain situations, but this series his decision-making and approach was outstanding.”Opener Zakir Hasan was, along with his partner Shadman Islam, a key contributor to Bangladesh’s series success•Aamir Qureshi/AFP/Getty Images
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Shanto’s on-field presence was noticeable, though his batting form continued to suffer in Pakistan – even if his final innings in the series suggested it might be returning. But there was a spring in his step, and his was often the loudest voice on the field. He spoke to his bowlers regularly, and he was proactive in changing them around. He stuck to his plans and did not shy away from attacking Pakistan’s best batters. Shanto’s clever use of spinners on two occasions – the fifth day of the first Test and the first day of the second – was also impressive. Often, he kept the slip cordon intact but also employed in-and-out fields for set batters. Overall, he and Hathurusinghe read the conditions better than Pakistan.”I am in the slips for a while, then I am at mid-on or mid-off at other times,” Shanto said. “My fielding position depends on who is bowling. Sometimes it is hard to speak to Nahid Rana from the slips. I spend time next to him, to give him instructions. Once he gets it, I can field anywhere. Sometimes I have to stay there for Hasan Mahmud. I don’t have to do the same for Taskin. I thought the bowlers gave me exactly what I wanted from them.”He now possesses arguably Bangladesh’s best bowling attack in years, fast bowlers who can win him matches, and two of the world’s leading spinners. But Shanto’s future as the captain isn’t all rosy. His brief when he was handed the captaincy last November was to take Bangladesh cricket into the future. Stating it that way elides the fact that it will be a future without a golden generation of players who defined Bangladesh cricket – the likes of Shakib and Mushfiqur, Tamim Iqbal and Mahmudullah.
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One of the more unusual things about this tour was the lack of influences from outside the team. For years, it had been common practice for the former board president, Nazmul Hassan, and some BCB directors to travel on tours. They would sit in on team meetings and talk to players and coaching staff every now and then, in the team hotels and elsewhere.This time, however, it was different. Hassan and several board directors with political ties haven’t been seen in public since August 5. Hassan stepped down as president on August 21, and the head of cricket operations, Jalal Yunus, resigned the day before. The team left Bangladesh with the country in chaos, but once in Pakistan, the team focused on the task at hand.”In the team, everyone knew their specific roles,” said Imam, the team manager. “They knew what was expected of them. It was a very cricket-centric tour. We basically stuck to training, matches and hotel. We had our rooms side by side and on the same floor. It created an atmosphere of togetherness. They spent their spare time with each other. It was good to see that cricket was the only thought during a tour.We’ll always have Rawalpindi: old-timers Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib al Hasan seal the deal•Associated Press”News did come through but the focus never wavered. The coaches and support staff, we tried to make them comfortable. We were together all the time. There were no distractions. Rather, we received a lot of encouragement from the board and from home.”That resulted in a relaxed atmosphere, despite the new board chief’s criticism of Hathurusinghe, and Shakib being accused of a murder during the student protests.Not that things didn’t get tense in the dressing room. Rabeed, who has worked at the BCB for close to two decades, spoke of how he got to pacing when the team fell to 26 for 6 in the second Test.”I wasn’t feeling comfortable anywhere. I didn’t feel like standing or sitting anywhere. I was thinking of going towards the dugout. When I was coming down the dressing room stairs, Miraz hit a boundary. He struck one more, and then I just sat midway down the stairs. I decided to sit there throughout [Mehidy and Litton’s] 165-run partnership.
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Given the side has eight Tests from August through December, the BCB sent the high-performance team to Australia and the Bangladesh A team to Pakistan in advance to prepare. Several of the Test squad members, like Mushfiqur and Mominul, played for the A team in Islamabad ahead of the first Test. The Test team ultimately had to rely on six days of practice in Lahore and Rawalpindi, but they were well prepared and acclimated to the conditions.Shanto: “I think such a moment has never come in Bangladesh team’s history. Cricketers look for references. Now we have one”•Aamir Qureshi/AFP/Getty ImagesIf Shanto felt vindicated after winning the first Test he looked relieved and content after the second, posting a photo of himself asleep next to the trophy. He reflected later that no matter what direction the team took from there on, they will always have this 2-0 result in Pakistan.”It feels great when you are winning. It is important to enjoy these moments. I think such a moment has never come in Bangladesh team’s history. Cricketers look for references. Now we have one. We know that we have the ability to win abroad.”The next time we play, I don’t know about the result, but we will surely have the belief that we can win. I said the same thing in the press conference on the first day [when asked about Bangladesh’s dismal record in Pakistan] that records are meant to be broken.”It was from my belief after seeing how hard the players worked. The way they showed hunger for the team, it gave me the belief. Results can vary in these situations. If we can stick to this process, work hard, we can do even better.”Bangladesh have had many false dawns. In fact, the win in the first Test of this series seemed like one. But they followed it up with another great effort in the second, a first overseas clean sweep, 15 years after their last. But unlike that 2-0 win against a depleted West Indies side, Rawalpindi has provided them with a blueprint for overseas success.They have a reference. And they also now have the belief.