Bangladesh series: Easier foes, bigger challenges
A year that has brought Pakistan unprecedented success and prison sentences now begins to end in Bangladesh with the one-off Twenty20 taking place of the team’s final tour of the year today.
A One-Day International (ODI) series-win in New Zealand, a semi-final loss against India, a drawn Test series and an ODI series-win in West Indies followed by tour sweeps of Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, Misbahul Haq has raised the team to heights not witnessed recently amid the scandals.
‘Bangladesh series not easy’
Pakistan and Bangladesh have not played each other since 2010 and have met just twice since July 2008 – the 2010 World Twenty20 and the Asia Cup that summer – with the former world champions coming out on top on both occasions. However, the memories of the 1999 World Cup loss are still fresh and given Bangladesh’s history of stray upsets, the complacency, as pointed out by Misbah, cannot be allowed to creep in.
“It would be a big folly on our part to think we can walk over Bangladesh,” said Misbah. “We’re playing a full series here after a long time and I’ve told the players to treat the series as a top one.”
The format is the teams’ favoured one – short, attacking and with a quick result. However, with the Test series following the limited-overs matches – and Pakistan’s sterner test against England waiting – more emphasis will be on mastering the technique instead of thrilling the crowd.
Eyes, mostly, will be on Shahid Afridi who dazzled all with his comeback heroics in the UAE, breaking records and Sri Lankan hearts. Not to forget, however, is the performance of Mohammad Hafeez, Pakistan’s highest scorer and wicket-taker in Twenty20s this year. Hafeez was labelled ‘one of the best all-rounders’ by Misbah, who will be hoping the opener justifies the tag.
Hosts look for team effort
Bangladesh came out on top against West Indies the last time they played a Twenty20 but statistics seem to favour Pakistan who have won all four matches between the two sides. They are also missing former captain Mohammad Ashraful but captain Mushfiqur Rahim spoke of the side’s aim of winning every time they took to the field.
“I think Bangladesh cricket has crossed that barrier where we aim for a respectable loss against a big team,” said Rahim. “That mentality is not there in this group. We play to win every game against whichever team. Pakistan are the favourites but if we play our best cricket, it won’t be easy to beat us in any of the formats.”
Bangladesh have not beaten Pakistan since the 1999 World Cup but Rahim remained confident that a team effort was all that the hosts needed to upset the former world champions.
“Pakistan have five to six match-winners so it is hard to beat a side that strong even if you give your 100 per cent. But they are human and they could make mistakes and let us into games.”
Misbahul Haq
“It would be a big folly on our part to think we can walk over Bangladesh.
We are playing a full series here after a long time and
I have told the players to treat the series as a top one.”
Mushfiqur Rahim
“They’re the favourites no doubt but if we play our best cricket, it won’t be easy to beat us in any of the formats. They have one of the best bowling attacks so playing against them would be difficult.”
Published in The Express Tribune, November 29th, 2011.
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Look at the picture..you will come to know about sohail tanvir's fitness compared to umar akmal.
@Aamir: Yes I consider 1999 was a blunder for BD as well and we shouldn't have got test status so early but you have to remember that all the other ICC members voted in favour of BD& we were granted test status. But only 2 countries helped us in our cricket sector after that without criticizing us & that is PAK & SL and we are grateful of that help & you should feel proud for your own country for showing such kindness.
1999 was a big blunder made by Pakistan to help Bangladesh get test status. They deliberately underperformed while they were favourites in World Cup 1999. Bangladesh failed to produce a team that could justify their status till now. Its decade and they are still considered as minnows. Harsh reality...