Bangladesh has emerged as one of the rising forces in international cricket, making a name for themselves on the world stage. Their home ground has been a fortress for them, with the roar of the tigers becoming louder and louder. They have proven themselves against top-ranked teams like Australia, England, and South Africa, dominating them in the fifty-over format. Bangladesh’s impressive performances in white ball have seen them break multiple records, cementing their position as a force to be reckoned with in world cricket.
Unbeatable In ODI’s At Home
In the 50-over format, the roar of the tigers can be heard the loudest, as Bangladesh has beaten some top-ranked teams. After a disappointing World Cup campaign in 2019, Bangladesh made a strong comeback. In February of the following year, they outclassed Afghanistan and secured a 2-1 series win. In December, the Bengali surprised everyone as they beat India in two close matches and clinched a series win of 2-1. However, they suffered a setback when they lost the ODI series to England by 2-1, which was a big disappointment for them, given their recent good form in the format.
In 2021, Bangladesh continued to make waves in the 50-over format. They started the year with a convincing win over Ireland in the first match of the series. In January, they surprised West Indies by winning matches with a big margin and making a clean sweep against the Caribbean side. In May, the South Asian side triumphed over Sri Lanka, outclassing them in Mirpur. Looking further back, Bangladesh also upset Zimbabwe and made a clean sweep in the format. With such impressive performances, Bangladesh has shown that they are a formidable force in the 50-over format and are capable of competing against some of the world’s top teams.
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Low Scoring T20I’s
The start of 2021 wasn’t great for Bangladesh, as they lost the T20 series to Pakistan 2-0. However, they made a strong comeback by winning the series against Zimbabwe 2-0. Unfortunately, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, they couldn’t play a T20 series until March, when they faced New Zealand. The series resulted in disappointment as Bangladesh lost all three matches.
But Bangladesh bounced back once again, registering a 2-1 series win against Zimbabwe. Then came the biggest surprise of the year for the cricketing world, as Bangladesh won the 5-match series against Australia quite convincingly by 4-1. This was a significant moment for the team, as they showed their strength and depth. The surprises didn’t end there, as Bangladesh also defeated New Zealand in a 5-match series, winning 3-2.
However, despite their impressive performances, Bangladesh failed to qualify for the T20 World Cup 2021 Semi-finals, finishing last in their respective group with no wins.
In March 2022, Bangladesh drew a 2-match series against Afghanistan 1-1. However, their fortunes took a turn for the worse when they lost a 3-match series to West Indies. This was followed by another disappointing loss against Zimbabwe, where they were defeated 2-1. In a friendly series against UAE, Bangladesh regained their form and confidence ahead of the upcoming tri-series against New Zealand and Pakistan. Unfortunately, their performance in the tri-series was lacklustre, and they failed to reach the final.
Things didn’t get any better in the T20 World Cup held in Australia as once again Bangladesh failed to qualify for the main round by the narrowest of margins, finishing third in their group. The roar of the tigers could be heard loudly but Pakistan came above them on the day. However, the team rallied and put in a fantastic performance in a T20 series against the reigning World Champions, England, winning all three matches to complete a clean sweep. This result showed that the roar of the tigers was still very much alive, and they remained a force to be reckoned with in the shortest format of the game.
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Reasons Why Bangladesh is a Force To Reckon With in the White Ball Format At Home And Away
Focus on spin-friendly pitches At Home
In recent years, spin bowling has become a major threat for non-Asian nations, as they lack world-class spinners in countries like South Africa, England, and Australia. Batsmen have found it increasingly difficult to negotiate the spin threat, especially in T20 cricket where the need to play with hard hands has left them vulnerable. To capitalize on this weakness, Asian teams, including Bangladesh, have started preparing pitches that offer plenty of assistance to spinners from day one. In fact, in the Test series against England, all but one English wicket fell to spin, highlighting Bangladesh’s spin-friendly strategy.
The deteriorating condition of visiting teams
Bangladesh cricket has been on the rise in recent years, and the lack of world-class spinners in non-Asian teams has played to their advantage. Asian teams have been focusing on making spin-friendly pitches and Bangladesh has joined in, reaping benefits by exploiting this trend. Additionally, visiting teams have been struggling with the conditions and lack the skills needed to survive against Bangladesh. This drop in quality has further fueled the rise of the Bangla Tigers and made their roar even louder.
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A balanced team
Bangladesh has evolved into a tough team that fights back from tough situations. The presence of match-winners has made them a formidable unit in home conditions. Shakib-ul-Hassan and Mehidy Hasan are some of the players who have shone in crucial moments. The team’s balance and clarity of roles have contributed to their rise. This is evident in the first Test against Australia and the second Test against England where the players displayed their prowess.
World-class spinners
Despite their struggles in the past, Bangladesh cricket has roared to life with the emergence of their talented spinners. Shakib-ul-Hassan, Mehidy Hasan, and Taijul Islam have become a force to be reckoned with, tying down batsmen and turning matches in favour of the Tigers.
Their emergence has allowed Bangladesh to dominate in home conditions and assert their dominance over visiting teams, as seen in their victories against Australia and England. The roar of the tigers has become louder and stronger, and with their talented spinners, Bangladesh is poised to become a formidable opponent in world cricket.
