Nabid Yeasin

What is more important: a false sense of achievement or a harsh realisation that will eventually make you stronger? As Bangladesh prepare to host a second-string New Zealand side for a five-match T20I series starting from September 1, that question is the most pertinent one for the team’s think-tank.

A second-string New Zealand side, composed of players who will not make the cut for the Kiwis’ squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup, is set to visit Bangladesh for T20Is next month, with the Tigers in high spirits after successive series triumphs, including a first-ever bilateral series win over Australia.

“Bhai, do it quickly. Take the wicket so that we can go back home after such a long time away.” Those were the words the stump mic picked up wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan Sohan saying to Shakib Al Hasan in the 14th over of Bangladesh’s fifth and final T20I against Australia in Mirpur on Monday.

Batting proved to be Bangladesh’s downfall as the Tigers lost the fourth T20I against Australia by three wickets at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday, giving up their rare chance of completing a first-ever clean series sweep against the Aussies.

Bangladesh are fresh from their impeccable display against Zimbabwe, who the Tigers beat in every format last month to complete a comprehensive series sweep away from home. Even after such a dominant showing across formats, you will find very few who can confidently say that the Tigers have ended their troubles in the game, at least form-wise.

A series sweep across the formats in Harare against Zimbabwe is what was expected of Bangladesh and the Tigers certainly lived up to their billing. With the collection of all 30 ICC ODI Super League Points from the three ODIs, the series was more than just a morale booster for a group on the back of a string of losses, especially while playing away from home.

From a potential batting collapse to winning the game by 155 runs, Bangladesh scripted an applaudable turnaround in the first ODI against Zimbabwe in Harare on Friday. To get the desired outcome, there were a number of boxes that the Tigers had to tick but a few others were still unmarked. Here, we look at both:

“Thank you Mahmudullah Riyad bhai for your service with the red ball,” wrote Bangladesh’s ODI skipper Tamim Iqbal, who missed out playing in the one-off Test against Zimbabwe in Harare due to a knee injury but was part of the Tigers’ Test squad, after Bangladesh had ensured their second-ever Test series triumph overseas on Sunday.

Alleged corruption in domestic cricket has been a long-running plague that is at the root of the rot in Bangladesh’s cricketing structure, with bias and favoritism a consistent feature of lower-tier cricket.

Bangladesh on Tuesday prevailed through a looming threat of cyclone and registered a thumping 103-run victory over Sri Lanka in Mirpur.

The role of a coach, especially in developing any individual player, often remains in the shadow of all the uproar created by the outcome of his impact. It is only when the tutee acknowledges the mentor’s hard work that his overall impact in the game is truly reflected.

Players often stress the importance of “execution of plans” ahead of any series or game. While carrying out the chalked-out plan is vital, it is paramount to formulate the right set of plans beforehand. The latter is something that should be orchestrated by the team management with clarity in mind, and that is precisely where the Bangladesh team management has failed miserably in recent times.

There could be no argument that the first Test between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium was a dull affair.

The current situation and primary aim of both Bangladesh and Sri Lanka remain almost indistinguishable as they embark on a two-Test series, the first of which starts today at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy.

With praises for his work pouring in from two of the colossal figures of Bangladesh cricket in Mashrafe Bin Mortaza and Shakib Al Hasan, former national skipper and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) director Khaled Mahmud has recently been enjoying a joyous period in his professional career.

Bangladesh’s five-wicket defeat to New Zealand in the second ODI at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch yesterday meant that the Tigers lost the three-match series with a game left to play.

Records need not be pointed out to show that Bangladesh are yet to make big strides in the longest format of the game compared to their achievements in limited-overs cricket. When compared to other Test-playing nations, that gap only becomes more prominent.

Test cricket is a different ball game -- a common saying that was yet again proved yesterday when West Indies registered an unlikely-yet-fully-deserved win against Bangladesh at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram.

While not very auspicious, the picture was also not ominous for Bangladesh at the end of Day One of the first Test against the West Indies at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram yesterday.

The name James Anderson is almost synonymous to Test cricket. His iconic yet smooth bowling action while donned in the all-white of England is what cricket lovers and enthusiasts immediately picture when they hear or read Anderson’s name.