DHAKA, June 10, 2019 (BSS)-A series of low score like 16, 24, 19 in the
first three matches of the World Cup isn’t acceptable from a batsman like
Tamim Iqbal who unarguably is the best ever opener the Bangladesh have ever
seen.
It’s also not acceptable for a batsman who is the highest scorer for
Bangladesh in all three formats of cricket.
It’s a myth, which was established by captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza that
Tamim’s start at the top is prelude to the success of Bangladesh. And it’s
not overstatement. Bangladesh won most the matches when Tamim gave them a
good start.
But that is not the case in this World Cup. Bangladesh are blessed to have
an inform Shakib Al Hasan and dependable Mushfiqur Rahim, otherwise the way
Tamim was playing, Bangladesh wouldn’t have won any match. But to their
fortune, they beat a team like South Africa before losing to New Zealand and
South Africa.
However if the law of average is taken into consideration, Shakib’s off day
may come at any moment so it is mandatory Tamim to put his hands up.
His opening partner Soumya Sarkar started well in first two matches but
couldn’t capitalize on his start. But as a senior batsman Tamim should take
the onus to guide the junior like Soumya and others, which he couldn’t so.
Tamim’s reputation may prompt selectors not to drop him in case of failure
even in the whole World Cup but with an inform top order batsman like Liton
Das sitting idle in the bench, his continuous failure won’t bode well with
cricket crazy fans.
So Tamim himself felt the heat. And it is evidenced in the way he was
desperate to have some practice session despite consistent drizzle in Bristol
on Sunday. He just came to the ground to have practice just after Bangladesh
reached Bristol from Cardiff. The players were tired and they chose to take
rest in their hotel room but Tamim refused to take rest.
As it was raining Tamim came to have an individual practice session at the
indoor nets of the County Ground in Bristol. He went on to work on his game
and faced throw-downs in the indoor nets of the venue for Bangladesh’s World
Cup match against Sri Lanka on June 11.
The World Cup is a not a perfect platform for Tamim as the stat suggested
that he averages only 22 in the global cricket tournament while his ODI
average is 36.
However, former national skipper Shahriar Nafees believes a good knock from
Tamim Iqbal is just round the corner.
”Tamim is not scoring big but in every match he is making a good start,”
Shahriar told a private TV channel ahead of Bangladesh’s game against Sri
Lanka.
”When Tamim will score big it will be easier for Bangladesh to post or
chase a big total,” he said.
Tamim hit the last of his 11 ODI centuries on July 28 against West Indies
in Basseterre last year, but he has not been in bad form since. He has hit
four half-centuries in the 14 innings since that ton, including two in the
tri-series in Ireland last month.
The manner of his dismissals has been a concern in this World Cup. While he
got out to a good ball bowled by South Africa’s Andile Phehlukwayo in the
opener on June 2, he was dismissed trying to pull short deliveries while out
of position in the games against New Zealand and South Africa.
For a player whose role is to bat deep into the innings, that sort of
dismissal, especially the one against New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson,
hinted at an unsettled mindset.