No Tamim, no Shakib but Mashrafe is there

Mashrafe Bin Mortaza was at his best as the captain against Pakistan…..

Only the toughest, and not just tough, can shine brightly in the topsy-turvy world of international cricket. Only the toughest rise above the rest. Only the toughest can lead from the front. Only the toughest can be the ultimate leader. One cannot deny the fact, in modern day cricket, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza is one hell of a leader – an inspiration and over the years, has become a tactical genius in the limited-overs format.

When the going gets tough, the whole team looks forward to their captain. A captain is the one, who calm things down under pressure and whose tactical moves change the course of the match. A captain may have an off day with the bat or ball, but still can deliver the best for his team with encouragement an intelligence.   

When the matter is about inspiring someone, there cannot be anyone better than Mash at present. During the match against, Afghanistan, Mustafizur Rahman was suffering from cramps in his second spell. The sight of a struggling Fizz in a very crucial situation left the team frustrated as Fizz is one of the strike bowlers. But Mashrafe came forward to lift Fizz up.

Fizz said, “The heat there [in Abu Dhabi] is more than the ground in Dubai; not just me but a lot of us were cramping. I told bhai [skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza] during my second three-over spell that I was having cramps in my calves. He told me to rest, but that I have to come back at the end. I said that I would do it anyway I could”.

This is what mentorship can do to a team and an individual. Had Mashrafe been frustrated during that crunch situation and exhibited emotions, Fizz would not have gained the much needed confidence. It lifted up his spirit and in that penultimate over, Fizz delivered one of the best overs in his career. Bangladesh escaped the Afghan scare by just two runs.

Just before the start of the crucial match against Pakistan, Mashrafe came to know, Shakib Al Hasan would not be able to play due to an injury. Missing your best player in such a crucial match, is nothing but a telling blow. Automatically, the confidence of the team goes down. The absence of Shakib meant, Bangladesh would be without a batsman and a bowler and the Tigers would need to rely on their part-timers.

Mushfiqur Rahim and Mohammad Mithun chipped in yet again to script another important partnership. It helped Bangladesh to recover from the early hiccup, but still, 239 is not a defendable total against a team like Pakistan and with Shakib absent, Mash was needed to unleash his tactical best on the field.

Pakistan were in tatters with the new ball, but as soon as Shoaib Malik and Imam-ul-Haq came together, Bangladesh came under pressure. We all know how dangerous Shoaib Malik can be and in the next one hour, he pulled Pakistan out of the rut.

Taming the dangerous Shoaib Malik

Mashrafe sensed, the match might slip out of his hands and thus, decided to attack the middle and leg stump from a full-length. He engaged himself at midwicket. The responsibility was on Rubel Hossain to make Malik play a stroke in the air towards midwicket.

The first ball of over 21 was a fullish delivery on middle stump. Rather than flicking it, Malik attempted to chip it over midwicket – Mash’s plan worked. It was a half chance, but Mash took the catch like a superman.

It was a well-thought move to get rid of Malik and the flying catch made the whole thing eye-catching.    

Soumya and Mahmudullah deliver with the ball

From over 20, Bangladesh entered into a phase where Shakib used to play a vital role. But Mashrafe would not be bothered by the Shakib-factor, but threw the ball to his part-timers. There is always a risk while bowling with part-timers – either they can leak runs or they can fetch you wickets. You cannot expect enough from them. But you can make them look better if you provide them with the right field placements.

But the most exciting thing about those 15 overs bowled between Soumya Sarkar and Mahmudullah Riyad was, they delivered the goods like a regular bowler.  And the confidence came from Mash, who gave them the ideal field placements – Soumya would bowl on top of off and if his, half-volleys were attempted to put away through the cover or backward point, the fielders were placed in those areas for protections and Mash did not keep the midwicket region empty. The midwicket was kept intact to apply more pressure. He had a deep square leg at the expense of a deep midwicket and fine leg up in the circle.

With no square leg in position and fine leg up, a struggling Shadab Khan decided to break the shackles by attempting to play a half-hearted hook-shot over fine leg against the dollies of Soumy, but he edged one and the part-timer gave Bangladesh their fifth wicket.

The plot was set to get r of Shadab and it worked.

Brilliant captaincy!

At the other end, Mahmudullah’s task was to dry up the singles and he continued to attack the stumps till the end. Mash knew about the inexperience of Pakistan batting line-up and thus kept the mid-off up in the circle while Mahmudullah was bowling. The deep midwicket would be a bit wider, so that it attracts the Pakistani batters to attempt a false stroke against Mahmudullah’s straighter ones. While the extra-cover would come in from gully to stop the singles.

Riyad dismissed Imam in the crucial juncture of the match and it was just a matter of time for Bangladesh to celebrate a memorable victory.

In those 15 overs, Soumya and Mahmudullah leaked 57 runs at an average of 3.8. Apart from Mehidy Hasan Miraz, the pacers leaked 4 runs per over, which could have proved handy if the part-timers were not used smartly by Mashrafe.

It was never easy to fill the gap of a champion like Shakib, but with someone like Mashrafe around, you can breathe with comfort as because, not only his mentorship would benefit the team, his tactical mind, would help to shift the balance towards Bangladesh.     

Note: This article has been published at Cricketsoccer on 27/09/2018 No Tamim, no Shakib but Mashrafe is there

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

     

How did Bangladesh handle the pressure?

Bangladesh came good when it mattered the most. It was all about handling the pressure and Bangladesh hung on to an absolute cliffhanger…..

All was not well in the Bangladesh camp.

The back to back defeats against Afghanistan and India immediately created a buzz outside the cricket field – a common scenario, which is always evident whenever the Tigers digest a surrender meekly in two or three matches in a row.

The media, fans and I started to make a noise about the sudden inclusion of Imrul Kayes and Soumya Sarkar. The Bangladesh Cricket Board Boss’s role came under scrutiny. The lack of match winners other than Fabulous Five of Bangladesh had been discussed like never before. The debate on the poor first-class structure of Bangladesh gained momentum, yet again.

The off the field matters added extra pressure on the Tigers, whose fragile batting order and lack of form of some of the players already put them under immense pressure. And in the crunch game against Afghanistan, the possibilities of another meek surrender were on the cards when Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim left the scene due to a panic attack – those two run-outs were unacceptable at this level of cricket and from two of the most experienced campaigners of Bangladesh cricket.

Bangladesh batting was reeling at 87 for 5.

No fear of failure

No one would like to invest faith in the newly-included Imrul Kayes, who was playing an ODI after 11 months and landed in Abu Dhabi just a day before the match and on an out of form Mahmudullah Riyad. Kayes was playing at number 6, a position, which he never relishes to bat and in fact, he never batted in that position previously. Moreover, he was supposed to bat as an opener, but Bangladesh decided to gamble with him, which ultimately paid off. Meanwhile, Mahmudullah’s fragility against the spinners is well known. The Afghan spinners had the better of him in the last match and his lack of foot movement makes him an easy target for the spinners.

Well, it was a tough situation and what needed was the ability to handle the pressure.

The best way to handle the pressure in that situation was to erase the fear of failure. Whenever the fear of losing gets into you, you cannot progress further. Mahmudullah and Kayes decided to dominate the Afghan spinners, especially Rashid Khan.

Now, you can dominate a bowler in two ways: 1. By counterattacking him and 2. By not giving him wickets. Kayes and Mahmudullah went for the second option. As Brendon McCullum once said, “One must rein oneself in under pressure. Instead of going for a big heave when you're not seeing the ball well and your feet are not moving, take a single to get the other batsman on strike. Doing that gives you time to settle down and find form”.

They started to manoeuvre the strike more against the spinners and the plan was not to give them wickets. Even if they did not score against them, it would not matter much, but giving them wickets would automatically allow them to gain the momentum.

In the post-match presser Mahmudullah said, “I think I wasn't able to apply myself against him previously, but we decided during the partnership that we won't give him wickets. We wanted to go deep and see it till the end. We achieved our target”.

Definitely, Kayes and Mahmudullah achieved their target as their sixth wicket stand helped Bangladesh to post a very competitive total. Both of them notched-up 36 runs off 48 balls against Rashid and Bangladesh lost just two wickets for 134 runs in 31 overs in comparison to losing six wickets for 78 runs from 31.1 overs in that group-stage encounter from 31.1 overs.

The fear factor did not Kayes and Mahmudullah them under pressure.

Detachment

Aaaksh Chopra in one of his articles wrote, “Players who are able to detach themselves from the importance of the occasion are better equipped to handle pressure”. The best way to handle the pressure is by keeping detached by the heat of the occasion as Mahmudullah said, “There wasn't enough time to think about it. We were playing three games in the space of four days. I was just playing him with an empty mind”.

Of course, playing with an “empty mind” works a lot in a pressure-cooker situation. It is almost like getting into the zone where your focus would only be on the bowler, his hand and the field set surrounding you. Over the years, in trying circumstances, Mahmudullah’s such a ploy bailed out Bangladesh on many occasions in the past.

Perhaps, Mustafizur Rahman also was bowling with an empty mind in that penultimate over. He was suffering from cramps and did not look fit enough to deliver the best, but his immense mental strength propelled him to bowl and his ice-cool look never, let us assume, he was engulfed by the pressure of the occasion, but it was just another routine over for him. Had he been feeling the pressure, he might not have varied his length so much.

Bangladesh escaped the Afghanistan fear by three runs.    

Note: This article has been published at Cricketsoccer on 24/09/2018 How did Bangladesh handle the pressure? 

Thank You

Faisal Caesar         

Bangladesh forgot the importance of exhibiting resolve

Yet another poor batting display from Bangladesh……

In the twinkle of an eye, Bangladesh discovered themselves in dire straits against a red-hot Lasith Malinga in the opening encounter of Asia Cup. Liton Kumar Das and Shakib Al Hasan left the scene and when Tamim Iqbal was retired hurt, the situation became critical and what was required the most is resolve rather than rush of blood to stabilise the situation.

Just as the doctor ordered, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mohammad Mithun displayed the best of temperaments to pull Bangladesh out of the fire. Then Tamim’s gallant gesture aided Mushfiq to go for the kill and demoralize Sri Lanka from which they never recovered.

But within a few days, that same Bangladesh batting unit minus Tamim, are found wanting – they seem to be a ship without a radar as yet again, they surrendered meekly. At first, it was Afghanistan, who simply toyed with Bangladesh batters and then, today, it was India who left the Bangladesh batting lineup in tatters – 119 against the Afghans and 173 against India, are an indication of a team, who has forgotten to exhibit the resolve, which salvaged their pride against the Islanders.

In the 80s and 90s, resolve was much needed in 50-over formats. In this era of Twenty20, many teams think, going for the kill would help them to get out of the trouble, but the old style of batting is still useful in this age of power-hitting. In a Twenty20 match, a team may not need to cash in on building partnerships or spending a bit of time at the crease, but in 50-over formats, such qualities are still as valuable as gold.

Neither Liton nor Nazmul Hossain is Mr. Khan of Chittagong and for which they should have looked to see off the new ball and allow themselves to settle at the crease. But instead, Liton perished while attempting a compulsive pull and Nazmul was dismissed while poking at a delivery away from the body. Those deliveries from Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah were not unplayable ones, Liton and Namzul were in a friendly mood to throw their wickets away.

It invited an unnecessary pressure.

It was up to the senior members of the team to resuscitate the innings.

But it was never to happen.

Shakib and Mushfiq were batting with intent and, it seemed, they would dish out the partnership, which Bangladesh needed badly. But Shakib fell into the trap set by India. After executing a very well sweep shot, what Shakib needed was to curb his aggressive intent. But, in turn, Shakib went to scoop one out of the park against the similar type of delivery through the region where India had set a fielder. It was a poor cricket from the man, who has plenty of experience under his belt.

Mithun, the performer of match 1, succumbed against a benign delivery, which required to play on the back foot, but Mithun dragged his front foot forward before bat and was trapped lbw. Son, you are not considered in the team to exhibit such a lacklustre batting.   

Then it was time for Mushfiq to implode.

Without a doubt, Ravindra Jadeja’s accuracy had stranglehold the Bangladesh batsmen, but to get out of it, an unorthodox shot was not the way.

Jadeja packed the offside field and kept a gap in between square leg and mid on fielder while bowling to right-handers. Executing the ideal foot-work according to the merit of the ball and fetch singes would have helped to release the pressure. Sadly, Mushfiq decided to play a reverse sweep, which was again, an unnecessary attempt under the given circumstances.    

Bangladesh were left reeling at 65 for 5.       

Bangladesh looked up to Mahmudullah Riyad for the rescue act, but like his friends, he also scripted his downfall by exhibiting a wild-sweep. It was a poor shot selection, but he could have been saved as there was a big inside edge before the ball hit the pad. Sadly, Bangladesh had no review left and Riyad had to leave.

When a team starts to commit suicidal acts, even luck does not favour them.

Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Mashrafe Bin Mortaza gave Bangladesh innings some respectability, but to challenge one of the best batting lineups in the world, 173 was not enough. India thrashed Bangladesh in style.    

Bangladesh paid the price of their lack of resolve. Sticking to the basics have bailed them out of trouble many times in the recent past. The Tigers forgot it and the result was not satisfactory.     

Note: This article has been published at Cricketsoccer on 21/09/2018 Bangladesh forgot the importance of exhibiting resolve

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

Was it necessary to change the schedule?

The whole act was pretty diabolic.....

Bangladesh’s captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza was not in a charming mood while talking to the reporters. Normally, Mash is always a very friendly person while he interacts with the press. Among the local reporters, he is hugely popular for his cordial nature. But that Mashrafe was disappointed and he sounded pretty angry while exchanging views with the reporters on Wednesday.

The reason behind such an annoying-mood was the changing of Super 4 schedule of the Asia Cup in the middle of the tournament. Until and unless any major problems occur, a bit of moderation of the schedule does not become necessary at all. But here, the ACC, influenced by BCCI did such only to favour one team and that is India.

India got favour over Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh. According to the new Asia Cup Super 4 schedule, India will play all their matches in Dubai regardless of the other teams’ positions in their respective groups.

As reports said, “ACC already gave the A1 status to India before the result of today’s match. In addition, ACC also gave B1 and B2 status to Afghanistan and Bangladesh before their group match against each other.

Pakistan will fly to Abu Dhabi on Thursday to play Afghanistan the next day, return to Dubai on Saturday to play India the next day, and travel back to Abu Dhabi to play Bangladesh on Wednesday”.

Mash lashed out at the officials for this. He said, “It is very disappointing! Basically what has happened is that we were made the second team in Group B even before we played the last game. We came here with a plan. We would play Sri Lanka first and if we won and played well, we would be the group champions and play the runners-up of Group A. But this morning we heard that we are already Group B runners-up regardless of whether we win or lose tomorrow. So, of course, it is disappointing".

“It is an international match where we are representing our nation, so of course it's important. But whether you are talking about group stage matches or Super Four matches, there are certain rules within which they operate. We are getting away from the rules, so it's disappointing”.

The Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed also expressed his disappointment regarding this matter.  

He said to the reporters, “Yes, surely [a disadvantage]. Even if India lose all their games, they will be here. Travelling is the sort of issue, if during matches you've to travel for 1 and a half hours, then it's difficult for you. In this weather, if you travel, and after a day if you've played a game....I believe things should be even for all teams, whether that's India, Pakistan or anyone else”.

“If matches are played in Abu Dhabi, then all teams must play a game or two there. Now I don't know what conduct ACC have made regarding this,” Sarfraz added.

According to Indian Express: “It is learnt that the BCCI, which is hosting the tournament, decided against the shuttling of venues keeping the commercial conditions in mind”.

“The Dubai International Stadium has a capacity of 25,000 which is 5000 more than capacity of the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. For India versus Pakistan or India versus Bangladesh games, it is expected to be packed to capacity. BCCI is only getting the gate sales and how can we compromise on 5000 seats,” a senior BCCI official present in Dubai told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

The financial factor became the most important matter rather than the comfort factor of other teams except India.

It is not a secret that BCCI rules the roost in world cricket and they have achieved such a cult status by virtue of their intelligence and financial power. BCCI is an Indian organization and as far I know, the Indians are extremely respectable towards democracy and believe in equal rights.

But with due respect to BCCI and their respected officials, they seem to be an organization, which is extremely biased, cash-minded and arrogant. The democratic funda does not work in BCCI.

The majority of the cricketing nations have accepted their might and show their loyalty, but at the same time, BCCI needs to show the same kind of professional attitude towards others. It looks pretty shameful, when such a prestigious and powerful organization fail to exhibit their professional attitude, but ends up being an institution which lacks the minimum amount of sense and sensibility.

Such an act has earned a lot of shame for BCCI, but as usual, BCCI doesn’t seem to bother about this as to realise such, one needs to have a self-respect, which I think, BCCI lacks.   

Note: This article has been published at Cricketsoccer on 19/09/2018 Was it necessary to change the schedule?

Thank You

Faisal Caesar        

The victory of courage and commitment

Was he a Rick McCosker? Was he an Anil Kumble? No, he was Tamim Iqbal! Tamim’s courage and commitment while Mushfiq’s brilliant composure won the battle against Sri Lanka even before the Lankans started their second innings…..   

Why do I watch cricket? I have asked this question many times to myself. My brain and heart gave me various answers. The most common answer had been ‘passion’. But as time progressed, I realized, passion alone cannot be the only reason.

As I tried to understand the game more, I realized, to fall in love with a game, one needs to understand the importance of intelligence, skill and courage factor of that particular sport. And, in cricket, all these factors are extremely important to assess the best from the good. These factors force you to watch the game closely, study it deeply and never lets you stop loving this game.   

When the matter is about courage, no other ballistic sports test this better than cricket. Courage, at times, becomes the most important factor in deciding the winner.

The high voltage Centenary Test was happening at Melbourne Cricket Ground in 1977. It was the conquest of great fast bowlers – Dennis Lille, Max Walker, Bob Willis and Chris Old were just nemesis. It was all about big egos. England gunned down Australia for 138 in first innings, which did not charm the red-hot pacers of Australia. Lillee and Walker bowled out England for 95!

During Australia’s batting, Rick McCosker, the South Australian tried to hook Bob Willis too early and Willis’ thunderbolt hit his jaw. McCosker had to leave the field with a broken jaw. It was a blow for Australia, who were at risk of losing one batsman in the second innings. According to Greg Chappell, “It was a double blow, insult to injury, because not only did he get hit, but his wicket was broken as well, so he was out and knocked out”.

Knocked out? Hmm….Not really.

Australia’s reply in the second innings was shaky, but they continued to fight back. They needed more runs to challenge their arch-rivals, and to the astonishment of all present at the ground, McCosker reappeared at the crease with a bandage around his face to add crucial 54 runs with wicket-keeper Rodney Marsh. McCosker’s gallant effort rejuvenated Australia, who wanted to repeat the same result hundred years back at the historic MCG ground.

As Chappell said, “It was a pretty gruesome-looking sight when he came in, but mind you, it wasn't a pretty sight when he went out to bat in the second innings with the head swathed in bandages and totally distorted by the bruising and swelling”.

“I'm sure the Englishmen would've been very surprised when they saw him walk out to bat. I never considered asking him to bat. He came and told me he wanted to. I wasn't convinced it was a great idea, but he was firmly of the conviction that he was capable, that he should do it, and as the game turned out, we were grateful that he did”.

Derek Randall, the hard-nut-to-crack guy, stood firm and was proving to be the factor to deny Australia a victory at MCG. But McCosker’s gallant effort instilled the courage to break down any wall under any trying circumstances. Lillee did not let McCosker’s courageous and committed display go wasted. Australia beat England by the same margin of that first ever official Test in 1877!

The history of cricket has many such courageous stories. They have become a matter of inspiration for the students of the game. For many years, they have been providing brilliant topics for the writers around the world and still today, there are cricketers who are inspired to beat fear and walk towards the wicket to bat with one hand.

In Bangladesh cricket, when the matter is about exhibiting courage,  Mashrafe Bin Mortaza hogs the limelight more. Of course, it would be unfair to forget the likes of Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah Riyad. But Mash’s courage to carry on with a body, which has undergone surgery several times, beats the boldness of others and rightly so.

But perhaps, Mash himself would agree, Tamim Iqbal’s reappearance to bat with a bandage on his left hand, has overshadowed his boldness to a certain limit tonight.

Tamim injured his wrist after being hit by a Suranga Lakmal bouncer. He left the field with Bangladesh in deep trouble and later on, he was ruled out of the ongoing Asia Cup in the Middle East. When Bangladesh lost their ninth wicket and three more overs to go, Tamim walked out to bat like McCosker did in 1977. He knew Mushfiq needed his support to swell the total and Tamim just hung out there and batted with one hand – a sight to make each and every Bangladeshi proud.  

Tamim’s presence was galvanizing. His courage was contagious. It simply led Mushfiq to switch to fourth gear as he fetched 32 runs in the remaining overs. It was an onslaught by a man, who did not take undue risks when he came out to bat almost two hours back. Mushfiq was all about a composed batsman, who played with soft hands and rotated the strike to graft partnerships with Mohammad Mithun and with those fragile characters who came and left as well. He did not give up when wickets were falling like ninepins around him, but motored the tattered Bangladesh innings.           

But that composed Mushfiq stripped off his gentlemen-like-batting-style to unleash an onslaught, which simply bruised the Sri Lankans psychologically.

What can a batsman batting with one hand can assure? He can get out quickly. He can injure himself further and add more agonies. But, the most important thing they do and which is, they can lift the spirit of the whole team. The one-handed Tamim did just that.

Again, it was not just about a mere display of courage, but commitment as well. On many occasions, Tamim’s commitment was questioned. His laid-back attitude has been fired many times. But I don’t think after tonight’s gallant act, anyone would dare to point a finger towards his commitment.

The Tigers started off badly. They were down and out at one point, but no matter how badly you are stuck in a troubled situation, if any, of the teammates, display courage and commitment in the right way, that team cannot lose. Rightly so, Bangladesh just could not lose against Sri Lanka after showing the courage and commitment of highest quality.

Note: This article has been published at Cricketsoccer on 15/09/2018 The victory of courage and commitment

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

       

Alastair Cook will be missed

Alastair Cook notched up a hundred in his final Test and became only the fifth batsman ever to score a hundred on his debut and final Test. He would end his illustrious Test career with his head high, but England will miss him a lot in upcoming days......

Nagpur 2006

The English cricket caravan halted in India after the Pakistan tour. After being nailed by Inzamam and Shoaib Akhtar, England’s journey in India was not expected to be a rosy one. Moreover, the team was an under-strength one –  the likes of Michael Vaughan, Simon Jones and Ashley Giles were absent and when an inform opener Marcus Trescothick returned home immediately before the start of first test, England’s think tank was at bay.

England’s think tank decided to fly a 21-year old youngster named Alastair Cook from West Indies and on the first of March 2006, Cook walked out to bat with Strauss at Nagpur. It was hot, humid and tensed summer. But the 21-year old showed no signs of nerve on such a suffocating weather and on a deck, which was produced to aid the spinners.

Cook responded to the call when his country needed him and this has been the story in the last twelve years.  The unknown lad started off with a half-century and a Test ton on his debut. His class was evident within just two sessions of first day – he handled the pace bowlers efficiently and his resolve against Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh earned a lot of accolades.

His outstanding resolve set the tone for the rest of the series. England displayed great character to draw the series in India. That fight back from the 21-year old had instilled the seed of confidence within the team, which paid rich dividends at the end of the day.

The fighter

The fighting display at Nagpur was to unleash a fascinating career which would last for twelve long years. A career, which scripted more than twelve thousand Test runs and notched up 33 Test hundreds and most importantly, it had been a career of a man, who always responded whenever his Mother England was in trouble.

Ricky Ponting’s Australia were in a killer mood to gun down England during the Ashes 2010-11. England’s self-respect was under threat and in the second innings Cook batted 10 and half hours to remain unbeaten on 235 to save the first Test. He not only broke Sir Don Bradman’s record of highest score at the Gabba, but shrugged off a terrible summer, where he scored just 29 runs from eight consecutive innings.  Like Nagpur, his fighting knock set the tone for the rest of the series – England would win the Ashes down under since 1986-87. Cook smashed 766 runs at a staggering average of 127.66!

Mother England’s prestige was saved.

In 2012, England cricket discovered themselves in another crisis. The textgate controversy and step-down of Strauss as the captain after the defeat against South Africa, left English cricket in tatters. Kevin Pietersen was at the centre of all the chaos and focus on the upcoming Test series against India took a back seat.

England appointed Cook as the worthy successor of Strauss. The new captain of England landed on Indian soil with a team, which was still wobbling from the defeat against Proteas and controversies. The team’s poor –self-belief was evident in the first Test, where they were badly beaten and critics forecasted a whitewash.

As usual, Mother England’s prestige was at stake!

Cook displayed one of the best of resolves ever seen in this decade. In the remaining Test matches, Cook would show, how greedy, he becomes for runs when the matter is about the honour of his country. England left the Indian shore by winning the series 2-1 since 1984! In the next one year he would experience an absolute purple-patch as a captain and batsman, but during the Australian summer of 2013-14, the kind of terror Mitchell Johnson unleashed, Cook failed to weather the storm. He could only watch the pride of his beloved country sink in the ocean of despair.

Then, KP was found in the centre of all the problems and many started to point finger towards Cook and Andy Flower for the chaos. The phase of bad-patch had started and it started to test the character of Cook – another fightback was needed from the lad, who always shines when the going gets tough.

In the summer of 2014, it seemed, the series against India would be his last, but despite being 1-0 down in first two Tests, he inspired his men to bounce back and win the series. England won the Ashes next year under his captaincy and in 2015-16, England would tame South Africa at their own backyard. As a team, England had come a long way since that textgate controversy in 2012 and a terrible tour down under in 2013-14.

Cook will be missed

Despite all the hindrances, Cook instilled resolve and the self-confidence within the team, which were put under threat by various obnoxious agents, but his own form kept on denying his mental strength and patience. The critics were never quiet in the last two years. The bowlers around the world started to breach the defence, which was tough to beat once upon a time and Cook’s back foot started to betray him consistently. But Cook is a fighter and he would make a come back for the sake of his Mother England, that’s’ what I believed as I have always seen him do such.

But, Cook had other ideas. He decided to leave the stage at the age of 33. It’s an age when the careers of likes of Graham Gooch started to flourish and keeping that in mind, I firmly believe, Cook had a lot of cricket left in him, still! But it’s not always easy to move on when your own skills start to betray you and you get little support from everyone.

At the Oval, in his final Test, he showed his critics what they would miss in the upcoming days. They would miss the much-needed resolve in the batting order, a team-man, who had always been there for the betterment of his team and colleagues and a patriotic bloke, who had always been there whenever Mother England needed him!        

Note: This article has been published at Cricketsoccer on 10/09/2018 Alastair Cook will be missed 

Thank You

Faisal Caesar     

Why everyone loved to watch Saeed Anwar

Saeed Anwar was all about style. Watching him bat was like having a happiness pill..... 

Cricket in the 90s was fantastic. The departure of the likes of Imran Khan, Kapil Dev, Sir Vivian Richards or Sir Ian Botham did not matter much as their replacements were not only extremely talented but possessed the aura, which left the fans and critics spellbound. The emergence of Sri Lanka as a force added a dynamic flavour in that decade. Be it the Test or the 50-over format, cricket was not one-dimensional, but extremely competitive and a treat for the eyes.

In the 1980s, pace attacks apart from the West Indians were unidimensional – one  Imran, one Kapil, one Hadlee, one McDermott in patches, Lillee in the early 80s - Botham and Bob Willis in phases. 

But in the 90s, every attack became potent. Wasim-Waqar, Donald-Pollock-de Villiers, Ambrose-Walsh-Bishop and McGrath-Gillespie-Flemming.

If Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Curtly Ambrose or Allan Donald were in a devastating mood at one end, Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Aravinda de Silva and Sanath Jayasuriya would dominate the best of attacks like the gods. Whereas, batters like Michael Atherton and Steve Waugh would fight against all odds to prove that talent is not everything and sheer willpower can conquer any adversity. On the other hand, two guys named Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan waved the magic of spin to leave the world moved with astonishment.

In fact, the 90s saw the revival of spin in a big way, which made it more challenging, as because, the 80s had excellent pacers but no spinners apart from Abdul Qadir. But the 90s saw an explosion of spin with Warne, Murali, Anil Kumble, Mushtaq Ahmed and Saqlain Mushtaq with his doosras.

A bunch of all-time bests wandered around the cricket fields in a single era like the 90s. Their impact was so immense that some artists like Saeed Anwar got unnoticed. But somehow, whenever the Men in Green took the field, even the neutrals wished to watch Anwar in action. The Pakistan of 90s was more about the Two Ws, Saqlain’s doosra, Inzamam-ul-Haq’s run-outs and match-saving abilities and Shahid Afridi’s mad-hitting. When Anwar came out to bat, in the twinkle of an eye, Wasim, Waqar or Afridi were forgotten as because, nothing in this world could match the aura of that stylish batsman.   

Anwar was not as gifted as Lara or Tendulkar. Neither did he have the technique of Sachin nor the temperament of Lara to play a long innings. Perhaps, his problems with fatigue syndrome halted him from playing long innings in Test matches; but on one occasion, when he decided to overcome fatigue, in 1999, the Eden Gardens witnessed one of the best knocks in the history of Test cricket. Anwar had his limitations with footwork and defence, but still, he was the centre of attraction when he was at the crease.

But why everyone loved to watch Anwar, even when a Tendulkar or Mark Waugh was around, remains a moot question. When the matter was about displaying grace and style, there were hardly any batsmen other than Lara to challenge Anwar. His style was the result of a brilliant hand-eye co-ordination,  which could place the ball through the tiniest of gaps in the field.

Anwar’s timing was a treat for the romantics. Those drives through the V and covers from the middle of the willow were reminiscent of a David Gower. The sweetly-timed drives would be followed up by some leg-glance with a Hyderabadiflavourr. Those were the moments for which a cricket lover can spend a whole day without getting tired.

Batting is a very complex mechanism. Some batters would make you feel the tension, while others would take you to a thriller-minute ride. Anwar belonged to the category of artists, who are born to provide pleasure.

As long as Anwar batted, you would forget the pangs and anxieties of life, because one could feel the flavor of Iqbal’s poetry and Noorjahan’s song in each stroke of Anwar.

Serenity and calmness prevailed while Anwar batted. That’s why everyone loved to watch Anwar bat. 

Note: This article has been published at Cricketsoccer on 07/09/2018 Why everyone loved to watch Saeed Anwar

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

Leonidas da Silva: The Magician Who Redefined Brazilian Football

 

“He’d help break down racial boundaries, helped bring about professionalism to Brazil, and dominated the Rio State Championship with three different clubs: there really wasn’t much left for Leonidas to revolutionise, yet somehow he managed to.”

Alex Caple

The bicycle kick—a feat of athletic brilliance—stands as one of football’s most captivating manoeuvres. Its execution demands a rare combination of agility, timing, and audacity. A player launches their body into the air, contorting mid-flight to strike the ball in an overhead motion. Complex and demanding, it nonetheless appears effortless when performed by the game’s maestros. Videos of bicycle kicks by Pele, Rivaldo, and Wayne Rooney flood YouTube, their artistry captivating millions. Among these names, Pele often reigns supreme, his iconic 1965 execution of the move during a friendly against Belgium immortalizing him in the annals of football history.

Yet, the origins of the bicycle kick precede Pele. According to the article *La chilena, lo más famoso que Chile le ha dado al fútbol*, the move was first performed in the Pacific ports of Chile and Peru. Francisco Sanchez Gatica, a Chilean footballer, is credited with demonstrating this style during the inaugural South American Championships. From there, the technique spread across the continent, finding its spiritual home in Brazil—a land where football is synonymous with joy and creativity.

The Humble Beginnings of a Legend

Leonidas da Silva was born on September 6, 1913, in Rio de Janeiro. At the time, football in Brazil was a sport of the elite, a physical and disciplined game introduced by British settlers. For a black child born into modest circumstances, the prospect of rising through football’s ranks seemed improbable. Yet, Leonidas’s determination and innate talent propelled him beyond these barriers.

Brazil’s racial landscape was fraught with inequality. Although slavery had been abolished in 1888, systemic discrimination persisted. Football mirrored this divide, remaining largely inaccessible to black players. Alex Caple noted, “Brazilian football has been rife with racial discrimination since its beginnings, and Leonidas was very much at the centre of that struggle.” Leonidas’s wife poignantly remarked, “Being black, he believed he always had to do more to have his worth recognised. Back when he was playing, a large part of the athletes were still the sons of high-class families.”

In the early 20th century, however, societal shifts began to take root. Urbanization and the influx of European and Middle Eastern immigrants gradually eroded rigid class structures. Uruguay became the first South American nation to integrate black players into its national team, and Brazil soon followed suit, driven in part by Leonidas’s trailblazing success.

The Rise of Diamante Negro

Leonidas’s career began with Bonsuccesso in 1931, where his performances quickly drew attention. By 1932, he was representing Brazil in the Rio Branco tournament against Uruguay. His two goals in a historic victory over the reigning world champions marked a turning point, challenging Brazil’s conservative stance on racial inclusion in football.

Leonidas’s club career saw him play for prominent teams like Vasco da Gama, Botafogo, and Flamengo. At Flamengo, he became one of the first black players to join what was then an elitist club, winning multiple Rio State championships and cementing his legacy.

The 1938 World Cup in France catapulted Leonidas to global stardom. His electrifying performances, including a hat-trick against Poland in one of the tournament’s most thrilling matches, earned him the Golden Boot as the top scorer. The press hailed him as “Diamante Negro” (Black Diamond), a moniker that would later inspire a popular Brazilian chocolate brand.

The Bicycle Kick and Leonidas’s Legacy

While Leonidas is often mistakenly credited with inventing the bicycle kick, his true contribution lies in popularizing and perfecting the move. His acrobatics on the field were unparalleled, earning him the nickname “Rubber Man.” Jerry Weinstein once described him as “fast as a greyhound, as agile as a cat, and entirely made of rubber.”

Leonidas’s use of the bicycle kick was not merely a technical feat but a form of artistry. He transformed it from a utilitarian tool into a spectacle, captivating audiences and elevating football to an art form. As Alex Caple observed, “Leonidas took the move internationally,” showcasing it on the grandest stages and inspiring generations of players.

A Legacy Beyond Football

Leonidas’s impact extended far beyond the pitch. He broke racial barriers, challenged societal norms, and helped professionalize football in Brazil. His success paved the way for future stars like Pele, Garrincha, and Zico, who would carry Brazil to unprecedented heights.

In the words of a Brazilian journalist during the 1938 World Cup, “[Leonidas] was simply amazing. He was our stick of dynamite. Each time he touched the ball there was an electric current of enthusiasm through the crowd.”

Leonidas’s legacy is a testament to the transformative power of talent, resilience, and determination. He was not just a footballer but a cultural icon, a pioneer who redefined what it meant to be Brazilian both on and off the field.

As we marvel at the bicycle kicks of Pele, Rivaldo, and Ronaldinho, let us not forget the man who first brought this art to life on the global stage. Leonidas da Silva, the Magia Negra, remains an enduring symbol of brilliance and inspiration in the world of football.

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

Mohammad Rafique: The conqueror of adversity

Poverty was his best friend. Hardship was his best date in the evening. In front of the kerosene lamp, he had his candlelight dinner. But he decided to conquer all the hardships through cricket and ultimately, Rafique was the winner. The prince from rags-to-riches…..

“Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe”

Gail Devers

December 26, 1994. There was a pin drop silence in our drawing room and Bangabandhu National Stadium. The spectators present at the stadium and our family members were gripped by an immense tension. Neither could we focus on any other topics nor were we in the mood to talk with each other. The situation was absolutely electrifying at Bangabandhu, but none of us could react to that.

India needed two runs off the last two balls to win against Bangladesh and maintain their unbeaten run in the second edition of the SAARC Cricket Tournament. It was up to an unknown, simple-looking,  lanky left-arm orthodox bowler named Mohammad Rafique to bowl the last over the match.

The young man showed great character under pressure – four of his deliveries were accurate enough to keep the experienced Indian tail under check. With the bat, a young Venkatesh Prasad was not that novice to squander such a chance, but Rafique was a wily customer. The fifth ball spun away. Prasad tried to play it by coming out of the crease and Jahangir Alam made no mistake to dislodge the bails. Bangladesh hung on to an absolute cliffhanger to register a nerve-wracking win.

Immediately, our house burst into a huge roar along with Bangabandhu National Stadium. The silence of an acute anxiety ebbed away to give space to a carnival atmosphere. Beating an Indian team boasting with the likes of Rahul Dravid, Pravin Amre, Vikram Rathore, Rajesh Chauhan etc. was never an easy task. For an Associated Nation like Bangladesh, back then, it was like reaching the moon.

The focus went back to Aminul Islam as he was adjudged man of the match for his fighting 64 and that young lad named Rafique was forgotten. But in the next twelve years, he won’t let any of the Bangladeshis to forget him. He would become the symbol of that class of people in Bangladesh, who reaches the pinnacle of glory from the rags by virtue of sheer hard work and dedication.

***

The bank of the river Buriganga at Sadarghat, Dhaka always gifted Bangladesh many things. From supplying life to business development to greater personalities, Dhaka and Bangladesh should always be thankful to mother Buriganga, but in return, more often, we have insulted our mother in various ways.

Jhinjhira is one of the settlements near Buriganga. As they say in Dhaka, the duplicate products of anything would be available in this area. This area is notorious and also, this area includes people, whose life is simple and their hopes and ambitions for a better life ply up and down like the boats resting beside the river. Some of them dream bigger and Rafique was one of those boys from Jhinjira, who took cricket as the tool to reach the top and bury the bad name of Jhinjhira.

Rafique’s journey is all about struggling. In those days, cricket was still not the most popular game in Bangladesh. The facilities were limited to the boys from well-to-do families. The boys, who lived in the slums, had to get of the house for a job to feed the family. And, for someone like Rafique this was a must as he lost his father at a very young age and thus, automatically, the responsibility of running the family came to him.

But the boy wanted to play cricket. Neither hardship nor the harsh reality could stop his passion. He would bowl in the open fields of Jhinjhira, he would bat and he would field better enough, even when the boys of his age would be more interested to play football as the craze about Abahani Krira Chakra and Mohammedan Sporting Club was at its peak during the 80s. His passion for the game and talent was spotted by Bangladesh Biman, who picked them in their team in 1985. Rafique would travel to play cricket in the city centre via Ferry, then cover a lot of distance on foot and then either via a local bus or rickshaw as the communication was not better like today.

Rafique did not want to stop.

***

Rafique never knew he could become a spinner. He was playing as a left-arm pacer in Biman. But things changed when his friend Wasim Haider, an overseas player from Pakistan advised him to switch to spin-bowling. In an interview to ESPNcricinfo Rafique said, “He asked me to bowl spin. I was puzzled, but I bowled to him in the nets. Next day, in a match, I bowled five overs of pace before I was asked to try spin. I picked up wickets and that's it from that day I never went back to bowling fast”.

Wasim Haider just gifted Bangladesh one of the best in the business. It was just one of those pep-talks, which unleash the hidden talent inside an individual. Rafique’s talent as a spin bowler was unleashed and then there was no stopping of this dreamer.

Since that SAARC Cricket Tournament in 1994, it had been hard to think about Bangladesh cricket without Rafique. He was the best bowler in 50-over formats and he was the lone-fighter in Test matches.   

What did not he do for the development of this team?  He had to lead an attack, which had no support like today. In Test matches, Rafique bowled like a robot from one end, without taking rests as he knew, it was his responsibility to carry on as the others were not efficient enough.  He had to lead the batting order as an opening batsman in an era when pinch-hitting was in its early days – he could hit the ball harder and sweeter than his teammates. He was one of our game-changers with the bat. Then, as a fielder, he had to lead from the front again. His athleticism in the field was an example for others, while in my opinion, he was the invisible brain of the team – one could notice his influence on various on-field decisions, which were beneficial for the Tigers.   

Those struggles and hardships in the Jhinjhira slum produced a person who was self-motivated and did not know how to rest – he would bowl and bat for his team, he would give his everything for Bangladesh. A painstaking childhood did not make him the yo-yo boys of today who would blame Bangladesh for their failures and shortcomings. But it was the culture and history of Bangladesh, which always motivated Rafique.   

***

They say about the dark side of Mohammad Rafique. Yes, hardship might let people commit mistakes, but it’s hard to point a finger towards the person who donated the land he received from the Prime Minister of Bangladesh for the benefit of the people. Even the doubts in your mind would be ashamed if you start to doubt about someone like Rafique. At times, darkness overshadows the holy light, but the power of the light is so strong, the darkness has to meet a sad end.

The critics are entitled to give their opinion, they are entitled to express their doubts. But when a person is as dedicated and patriotic like Rafique, such doubts just become irrelevant. The holy light is bound to keep shining.     

Patty Berg said, “What does it take to be a champion? Desire, dedication, determination, concentration and the will to win”. Indeed, Rafique’s twelve years journey in international cricket has been all about the adjectives which Patty used above.

For many years Rafique has been the inspiration to a generation, who learned how to chase their dreams. He became the symbol of hope for those boys in the slum, who once upon a time had to sacrifice their childhood either working in factories or begging. Those boys, at present, want to be like Rafique and that’s where Rafique maks himself such an important figure in the history of Bangladesh cricket.  

Note: This article has been published at Cricketsoccer on 05/09/2018 Mohammad Rafique: The conqueror of adversity

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

Can Bangladesh win the Asia Cup?

The Bangladeshis are a hard nut to crack. They have shown the courage in tough circumstances, but in the final, they tend to lose the mental battle. This has to end...... 

 For Bangladesh, winning a match is not a surprise anymore. These days, they win matches consistently and even on the big stages, they exhibit enough flair and courage, which has buried the pathetic past when Bangladesh were regarded as the bashing boys of world cricket. Frankly speaking, as a Bangladeshi, this is a wonderful feeling to witness the change in my own eyes. The change has been pleasant and inspiring.  

Bangladesh play well at present. They dream big and have earned the abilities to win matches away from home as well. The way the team showed character to bounce back in limited-overs’ formats after a pathetic defeat in the Test series against West Indies, one can hardly write off Bangladesh in any limited-overs tournaments.  In the limited-overs formats, Bangladesh’s progress is satisfactory. It developed under Chandika Hathurusingha and, it seems, Steve Rhodes will carry on the legacy of Chandika in the upcoming days. Rhodes is a competent coach and, I hope, the local critics and media realize this.

Bangladesh’s participation in multi-national tournaments started through Asia Cup way back in 1986. Their first experience was bitter, but the nation did not lose hope and stuck to their eagerness to compete with the big boys of world cricket. That Associated Nation in 186 is now a Test nation and in cricket, they have come a long way. The Tigers play to win matches rather than winning hearts.

Already, the Tigers have featured in the finals of the Asia Cup. The 2012 edition of the tournament was one of the highlights in the history of Bangladesh cricket. Their epic victories against India and Sri Lanka are still a hot topic of discussion in the addas, while the narrow defeat in the finals, still triggers a heartache. Two years ago, the Tigers featured in the finals again. And again, they lost. The outstanding victory against Pakistan was forgotten after the defeat in the finals where India finished things off in a dominating fashion – the hype and premature celebrations met a sad end.

The Tigers have become habituated to feature in the finals of a multi-national tournament.  They know how to advance to the finals by displaying a tough mentality, but still, they are not accustomed to ending the show with a big smile on their faces. Perhaps, this time around, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza and Steve Rhodes would desperately want to end up in style.

Within a few weeks time, a cricket carnival would take place in the Middle East, where the journey of Asia Cup started off in 1984. Bangladesh have not played enough cricket in the Middle East, even though they did participate in some of the tournaments in the 80s and 90s, but those were in Sharjah. At Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the Tigers have little or no experience of playing cricket. They could have earned the experience if Pakistan played their home series against Tigers, but sadly, it never happened.    

Even though Bangladesh did not play in UAE, they should not be bothered by that as because the wickets out there are like those in Mirpur and Chittagong, where there would enough help for the slow bowlers as the match progresses. Also, with the new ball, the pacers would be able to gain maximum from the track, while most importantly, the wickets would be typical one-day batting wickets – scoring runs would not be the toughest of tasks.

Bangladesh have the batters and bowlers to cash in at Dubai and Abu Dhabi. And, with the inclusion of Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh’s chances of striking gold becomes brighter. Shakib’s record in Asia Cup is staggering. He gives Bangladesh the x-factor, which is much-needed for any team to win the tournament. The weather of Dubai and Abu Dhabi might be quite stressful for the Tigers, but over the years, they have learned to adapt to different conditions. 

Can Bangladesh win the Asia Cup?

It’s hard to answer, but they cannot be written off. Winning a tournament is all about how a team handles the pressure. It’s not that Bangladesh have not shown the abilities to handle the pressure in crunch games, but in the finals, they tend to lose the mental battle. This is happening time and again. But this has to end.

Note: This article has been published at Cricketsoccer on 04/09/2018 Can Bangladesh win the Asia Cup?

Thank You

Faisal Caesar