Victory on South African soil to boost Bangladesh cricket: Minhajul

Bangladesh’s victory on South Africa soil will boost up Bangladesh’s cricket to gradually make them a force to reckon with in every format of cricket, said chief selector Minhajul Abedin Nannu, reports BSS.

The Tigers on Friday snapped their 19-match winless streak across three formats, beating South Africa in the first of three-match ODI series by 38 runs. This victory also gave them a confidence to win their first ever series on South African soil.

“The selection panel gets confidence when the team plays well. We have won many ODI series in the last two years. Our ODI team is now nicely balanced but our T20 team is not. We have recently won a Test on New Zealand soil,” Abdein said on Saturday after Bangladesh’s historic victory.

“This win against South Africa will definitely boost our cricket. We are in the process to be a good team in T20 format. There will be something better in other formats as well, “he added.

After being asked to bat first, Bangladesh posted a hefty 314-7, their highest ODI total in South Africa, thanks to a superb 64 ball-77 of Shakib Al Hasan. He was ably supported by opener Liton Das and youngster Yasir Ali who both made an identical 50 runs.

While it was Yasir’s first ODI fifty, which came off just 43 balls, Liton’s half-century was his third successive fifty plus knock in ODI cricket.

Liton’s serenity and Tamim Iqbal’s patience gave Bangladesh a 95-run partnership for the opening stand. Though runs came at slow pace, they didn’t loss wicket early, which acted as the catalyst of Bangladesh’s success. South African much-vaunted pace attack was believed to use the early moisture and rip through Bangladesh’s top order in the first 10 overs but Liton and Tamim denied them in extraordinary batting effort.

After the opening partnership set the tone, Shakib and Yasir added 115 off just 81 balls to throw South Africa out of the game. Bangladesh then dismissed South Africa for 276 in 48.3 overs.

The chief selector said that the victory would give Tigers, who started the series as an underdogs, more courage.

“The conditions in South Africa are challenging enough for us. We started as underdogs. This performance will give us the courage to play better in the future. The efforts of the whole team are great,” Abdein remarked.

As chief selector, Abdein is used to be criticised when the team does badly but he hardly pay hid to it.

The chief selector said, “It’s not my business to criticise anyone as a person. Here the team management, the selection panel all form the team together. Let’s do everything together. Nothing is done personally.”