Tigers see a bright prospect after beating England
Bangladesh step into 17th year of Test cricket
Sports Reporter
Cricket-obsessed Bangladesh perhaps for the first time feel accomplished on the eve of celebrating any anniversary of its Test cricket. Today when they would complete their 16 years to the Test cricket, perhaps no outside cricket experts would complain about their Test status, like the past years. Bangladesh indeed would celebrate the 16 years to the Test cricket with the joy of beating England, a top flight opposition whom they beat after attaining the status on November 10th 2000.
In history books it is Test match number 1,512, but for cricket-crazy nation it was number one. On that day, Bangladesh played their first ever Test match against an India lineup that featured the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid.
India romped to a nine-wicket win, but in the years since that day in November 2000 we have seen some exciting and inspiring moments out of the Bangladesh Test side. Aminul Islam Bulbul scored a gritty century while skipper Naimur Rahman Dujoy took six for 132 as Bangladesh fought neck-to-neck in the first innings before the inexperience in the crickets most celebrated format cost them the match in the second innings.
As they embarked on a new journey, Bangladeshs future looked bright, specially the way they fought against India. But that turned out to be a cruel dream. After that inaugural Test it took nearly a full year for Bangladesh to claim their first draw. As far as draws come, it was an ugly one in Dhaka against Zimbabwe. The visitors were thoroughly beating Bangladesh until rain arrived cancelling out the final two days.
Much to the frustration for the fans and players, success in Test cricket proved elusive and Bangladesh saw the other side of the coin. The cricket experts around the world started finding Bangladesh as a favourite subject to criticise outrageously and why not? Bangladesh found a wonder boy in Mohammad Ashraful who made an entry to the Test cricket with a scintillating 114 runs against Sri Lanka in 2001 to be the youngest Test centurion. At the same year they unleashed a fearsome fast bowler in Mashrafe Bin Mortaza but Bangladesh couldnt show any fighting spirit. They closed out 2002 and 2003 without any victory or draw. 27 Test matches under their belt and they had managed only one rain-soaked draw at home to Zimbabwe. 2004 would prove to be a better year as they managed back-to-back draws against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo and against the West Indies in Saint Lucia, but the real moment of celebration would come just after the New Year. Zimbabwe was back in Bangladesh and playing the first Test of the tour in Chittagong on January 6th. They achieved their first ever Test victory, topping Zimbabwe by 226 runs at the MA Aziz Stadium in Chittagong just short of their fifth year with Test status. Captain Habibul Bashar called it the best day of his life and still speaks fondly about the day years on from it. The celebrations that night in Chittagong may have lasted into the morning, but the success on the field was short lived.
Bangladesh would return to struggling, losing over 20 Test matches from 2005 through to 2009 without managing to win again. Some draws by the blessings of rain was the only achievement but back to back wins in the West Indies capped off a more promising 9th year of Test cricket, but it has only been in the last two years that Bangladesh has begun to take the next step as a Test status side.
In this period Bangladesh got an inspirational captain in Mashrafe Bin Mortaza who evolved the team to a force to reckon with in ODI format and the success in the limited version cricket finally made a positive impact in longer version format. Bangladesh though missed a shrewd brain like Mashrafe in Test cricket since the
fast bowler was unable to play the Test cricket since he got injured during the West Indies tour in 2009.
Bangladesh made a credible draw against Pakistan in 2015 and showed a brilliant performance against South Africa before rain marred both of the Test against Proteas. But it looked a victory in Test cricket is imminent. However despite playing Test cricket after 15 months against England, they showed no rustiness and were on the verge to win the first Test. It eluded them but in the second Test, Bangladesh crushed England emphatically by grabbing all 10 wickets in a single cricket finally for which they were craving for long.
There is no doubt that the first sixteen years of Test cricket in Bangladesh have been extremely tough, a record of 8-72-15 shows just how difficult it has been, but the future looks increasingly bright. Things are now unfolding quite nicely for a cricket crazy nation but the real Test would be as to how they fare against New Zealand in a condition alien to them. But it is expected they wouldnt falter in ugliest way like the past.
Bangladesh however got some excellent talent of late that fueled the belief. Fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman, at just 20 years of age, looks to be a star in the making, having already had three 5 wicket hauls in ODIs. Another youngster to keep an eye on in the longest format of the game is Mehedi Hasan Miraj who made a blockbuster debut against England and claimed 19 wickets in two-match series to be the highest wicket-taker for Bangladesh in a single series.
With matured Tamim Iqbal providing the talismanic impetus regularly, Shakib Al Hasan dazzling with bat and ball, Mushfiqur Rahim showing the much-needed grit in the middle, it is now the time for Bangladesh to come out all guns blazing.
Look at a glance
Bangladesh enter into 16th year in Test and thereafter they played 95 matches. They won eight matches, draws in 15 but lost 72 matches.
Year Match Win Loss Draw
2000 1 - 1 -
2001 8 - 7 1
2002 8 - 8 -
2003 9 - 9 -
2004 8 - 6 2
2005 6 1 4 1
2006 4 - 4 -
2007 5 - 4 1
2008 9 - 8 1
2009 3 2 1 -
2010 7 - 7 -
2011 5 - 4 1
2012 2 - 2 -
2013 6 1 2 3
2014 7 3 3 1
2015 5 - 1 4
2016 2 1 1 -
