Mahmudullah: The unsung hero of Bangladesh cricket

At 193 for 8, Bangladesh were done and dusted against West Indies on the first day of the second Test in Khulna. As usual it was the top order that was rusty and the hosts were heading for a dismal total. But from nowhere a debutant named pace bowler named Abul Hasan stood up to be counted and blazed his way to a century from the No. 10 spot.

Undoubtedly, it was a knock which had been the need of the hour to uplift the dying Bangladeshi spirit. Abul stole the show and grabbed the limelight but one man's instrumental contribution was overshadowed by the enough brightness of that historic century.

While the tailender went all guns blazing against the West Indies' attack, that man was playing the sheet anchor role to Abul's fluency - Mahmudullah. In the second innings, Bangladesh again found themselves in a desperate situation to save the Test. Another composed presence was required to nurture the tail. But sadly, it was not to be. Mahmudullah was dismissed cheaply and the tail was left without a guardian to show the way. Such is the importance of a player like him in the team during the critical juncture of a match.

It's not the first time that Mahmudullah has played such a role under trying circumstances. Remember Bangladesh's victory over England in last year's World Cup? He and tail-ender Shafiul Islam transformed a futile situation with a glorious blaze of strokeplay into an emotional moment for 16 crore cricket-mad Bangladeshis. At Mirpur in the first Test, with Bangladesh in desperately fighting to avoid the follow-on, Mahmudullah joined Nasir Hossain to essay another big partnership and put his team in a commanding position. Nasir was showered with praises for his adventurous stroke play but Mahmudullah again received nothing despite providing vital support to Nasir's belligerence.

Mahmudullah, the vice-captain of the Bangladesh cricket team, has been an unsung hero of our cricket. We fall in love with cricketers who flaunt their talents like a painter might do with his brush. Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal do that quite often and so does Nasir. The amalgam of skill and composure is the favorite dish for us.

But players like Mahmudullah strike a chord elsewhere. He is meant to be a workmanlike cricketer and not a genius. He accepts this and tries to make the most of it whenever he has been vested with a responsibility. Whenever he walks out to bat, Mahmudullah discovers himself in a planet where there's a disaster everywhere with vulnerable players demanding security and assurance. But he remains unfazed by such critical situations and ensures assurance. He won't flash hard at anything; instead he will concentrate on grafting singles and couples, picking the gaps with deft touches amalgamated with the occasional attacking stroke. 

It's never an easy job to bat with the tail. A tailender demands assurance from the other end and like a VVS Laxman and Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mahmudullah has the ability to provide security to the tail. And it was this assurance that made Abul play so freely on that eventful afternoon in Khulna. Sadly, Mahmudullah doesn't fit the definition of our heroes - dashing, thrilling and adventurous.

He is just a silent work-ant of Bangladesh cricket who continues to contribute effectively whenever times get tough.

Players like Mahmudullah deserve applause and credit because they get up again and again amid a rut and help others reach their goals. Abul was something of a hero for Bangladesh but needed needed assurance from the cool and customized Mahmudullah to reach an impossible goal. That's a hero.

Note: This article has also been published today in cricketnext.com Mahmudullah: The unsung hero of Bangladesh cricket

Thank You

Faisal Caesar