Well what a day it had been for the Bangladesh cricket team!
Under the bright sunshine at Galle, against a very decent Sri Lankan attack,
the Bangladeshi batsmen dominated in such a commanding manner that it had left
its harshest critic speechless. At Galle, since the first ball was bowled, it
has been an exhibition of scoring tons. Surely, a grand sale of hundreds was
going on and nothing surprising, against a mediocre Bangladeshi attack, the
Lankan batsmen were reaching tons in a merry.
Against Sri Lanka’s massive first innings total and with
Herath in sublime form, it was least expected that our batsmen would be able to
join Galle’s century-scoring exhibition. But the Tigers did join the exhibition
by denting the Lankan attack. The nation, depressed with unnecessary political
turmoils, were able to smile and celebrate as they rediscovered their lost hero
Mohammad Ashraful in such a supreme touch that it has left us all rethinking
about this man’s talent and abilities.
With Ashraful, Mushfiq too enjoyed an awesome day of Test
cricket with the willow as he notched up a Test ton to his name. Their stand of
261 is the highest partnership for Bangladesh in their 13-year old Test
history. Galle is traditionally Sri Lanka’s most favourite ground as they’re
used to crush their oppositions here. But Ashraful and Mushfiq were unfazed by
such records and made the third day one
of the most historic days in the history of Bangladesh cricket.
Bangladeshi cricket pundits are all expressing their various
views on Ashraful and Mushfiq’s masterful batting display. In between
Ashraful’s class act and Mushfiq’s gritty batting, my eyes were enlightened and
amazed to see a baby-faced boy hailing from Bangladesh’s coastal region, Cox’s
Bazar. He was selected as a replacement of Shakib Al Hasan and took on the
responsibility of the fragile Bangladeshi middle-order. To many, it was too
much to ask from a 21-year old prodigy and personally, when I discovered him
coming into bat at number four position, I was quite anguished.
But when the little boy started to bat, my heated temper had
started to cool down and I just couldn’t keep my focus away from the little
boy’s courage and manner of stroke play. His first boundary came against Eranga
with a cut behind backward point and since then his bat scripted eight more
flashy boundaries which were a mixture of concrete technique, fluid wrists,
astute footwork and lack of fear. He didn’t dare to skip down the wicket
against the teasing Herath nor did he dare to slice the Lankan pacers. His maiden
Test fifty came up against a Kulasekara fullish delivery which was punched over
the non-striker’s end with a straight bat towards the boundary with a rare
disdain. His entertaining chicky knock didn’t last long but as a matter of fact
that 55-run has blessed Bangladesh with a momentum which has been well
maintained by Ashraful and Mushfiq.
Mominul made his first-class debut in 2008-09 after being
nurtured well at BKSP. In 2010, he featured in the Bangladesh Under 19 squad
and the following year, National Cricket Academy called him as their 2011
graduate and he continued to fare well in the domestic circuit as a
middle-order batsman. His occasional left-arm orthodox spin too were critical.
He was called to tour the West Indies with the Bangladesh ‘A’ side and blazed
with a 150 in the opening match of the tour. Despite his consistent performance
in the domestic circuit, he failed to earn the national selectors’ attention. A
back to back first class hundreds earned him a place in the national squad as a
replacement of Shakib for the first two ODIs against West Indies in 2012. He
was impressive if not instrumental. Had Shakib been there Mominul would not
have been featuring this time around. But destiny wanted to gift Bangladesh
something special, destiny wished Mominul to exhibit his exuberance of youth.
You are busy with Ashraful and Mushfiq but my heart has been
touched by this little boy Mominul Haque's talent. He brings in the flavor of a
Bangladeshi village kid – full of enthusiasm. Mominul is our cricket’s fresh
flavour with plenty of promises.He has the dash and flair to enrich our
cricket. He is a talent, bustling with energy and determined to carry on our
cricket a long way. Mominul is nothing but a pocket-sized dynamo – bold and
impressive.
Thank You
Faisal Caesar
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