Was Miraz ton a curse in disguise?

Bangladesh are competing against a great team in this World Cup. The team of defending champions that has changed the ODI cricket upside down. The competition, however, is negative one. It is for the unwanted title of becoming the most ungainly side that came with endless dreams. Bangladesh, so far, are behind England in that competition.

England have become the all-time champion of forgetting how to play. This sort of show is unprecedented in World Cup history. One may find solace that if a powerhouse like England are in such jeopardy, Bangladesh are very likely to face such a debacle.

Yet anxiety strikes. The loss to Netherlands created so much scars even such solace would not heal that. The English media started the post-mortem of England team’s performance just after two to three losses. The reasons for the downfall are varying from five to 10 according to analysis and imagination. The more England are losing the more reasons are being added.

Bangladesh is not a big name like England in the World Cup as the former never even qualified for the top four. So, the ‘fall of England’ may be appropriate but the same phrase may not be suitable for Bangladesh. Rather, we may seek some answers. Why are the performances of Bangladesh nowhere near that they showcased in ODIs over the last couple of years.  

One need not seek so many reasons like England. The chief reason for Bangladesh's disgrace is their lack of runs on the scoreboard. Incredibly, all the batters of the side lost form together.

Only one century in six matches and only one half century per match. Litton and Mushfiq scored two fifties each but they scored 48 and 49 respectively in total from the other four matches. But the situation of others is so bad that they are now the best of the lot.

Litton’s opening partner is Tanzid Hasan. Perhaps nobody had big expectations from him but upon two most people kept faith, failed miserably. One of them is Shakib al Hasan who scored 61 in total from five innings including a 40-run knock. Najmul Hasan, by the way, has been the biggest disappointment.

Najmul has been the most consistent among Bangladeshi batters over the last one year or so. His last three innings prior to the World Cup were 76, 104 and 89. And in the World Cup? After scoring an unbeaten 59 against Afghanistan, he failed to get past single figures including two ducks in five innings. His misery is the perfect reflection of the Bangladesh team. After a shining start, disappeared in the darkness.

Shakib cannot find such continuous failure for the first time in his career. Najmul even cannot comprehend why he is throwing away the wickets to poor deliveries. He told his namesake, the board president, “It would be acceptable if I got out in bad balls but I have been getting out in poor ones.”

Everyone can see the batting is not up to the mark and runs are dried up, but is anybody taking the responsibility of finding out the reasons? Perhaps that would reveal one’s own fault. The miserable batting performance of Bangladesh may be induced by a century. The century Mehidy Hasan Miraz scored against Afghanistan in the Asia Cup opening the innings may be the root cause of World Cup disaster. Since then, the coach and captain showed some weird fetish around his capacity with willow.

And scoring a fifty against that same opponent in the World Cup has accentuated it. Sometimes he was sent at three, sometimes at four or five. The better batters are going down the batting line. But the bigger problem is the change of their habitual position.

Najmul, who is accustomed to three, saw his position changed in several matches and the same happened with Towhid Hridoy’s number five position. Najmul kept his position in the side thanks to his name but Towhid was dropped altogether. The question arose about Mahmudullah batting so late as well. Why did he have to bat at seven against Netherlands despite scoring a ton in the previous match?

The board president and the captain discussed the batting order among many issues. A source confirmed, it will be reflected in the next three matches.

Even if it is so, it is perhaps too late.

* The report, originally published in the print and online editions of Prothom Alo, has been rewritten in English by Syed Faiz Ahmed