How 'bachcha' Bangladesh taught India who's the daddy
The Bangladesh cricket team, it seems, has come of age. The green brigade on Sunday clinched its first-ever one day international (ODI) series against the mighty Indians, and the comprehensive manner in which it was done makes the achievement all the more special. It seems the "Tigers", as the team is called, have genuinely started to live up to the sobriquet.
This victory comes only a few months after Bangladesh blanked Pakistan 3-0 in an ODI series. Somebody pointed out an ominous pattern after Bangladesh's win in the first match against India last Thursday. It was that Bangladesh had beaten Pakistan by 79 runs in the opening match of the series in April and had humiliated their fancied opponents with a whitewash. Now that the "Tigers" have beaten India also by the same margin in the opening match of the series, could it mean we are again headed for a whitewash? This was the question and after Sunday's match, it looks that is a distinct possibility.
The Bangladesh team has come a long way since it won its first ever match against the Indians in late 2004. The joy of the Bangladeshi players that evening almost a decade back knew no bounds. It was the same last evening as well. It really shows how much the Bangladesh players want to succeed on the big stage and the heart and soul that they have put in making their team a force to reckon with in world cricket.
And the way the team is moving, it may not be long before the cricket world sits up and takes serious notice. Bangladesh has, time and again, beaten the "big boys" of cricket. It has accomplished series victories against the West Indies, Pakistan, New Zealand, and now India. It has beaten multiple world champions Australia. It has defeated England in two successive World Cups. Its victory against India in the 2007 World Cup, which dealt a killer blow to the "Men in Blue", now looks less and less a flash in the pan. It is perhaps time to stop referring to Bangladesh as a "minnow".
As the "Tigers" embark on their journey to cricket elitehood, they would have the example of Sri Lanka to guide and inspire them. The Sri Lankans were not taken very seriously earlier. But in the World Cup of 1996, Sanath Jayasuriya, Aravinda De Silva and company decided to do something about it. And the rest, as they say, is history. Bangladesh has no dearth of talent. Players like Rubel Hossain, Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim, Taskin Ahmad and the new kid on the block, Mustafizur Rahman (who was disdainfully pushed aside in a mid-pitch collision by Indian captain Dhoni, but came back as the Indians' tormentor), and of course, Bangladesh's big star Shakib Al Hasan can take their team to the heights that it deserves. The addition of Shahadat Hossain will add more muscle to the bowling attack. As the team wins more often against bigger opposition, its place in the hearts of the cricket fans will be cemented.
Come Wednesday, in the last match of the series, an Indian fan will hope Dhoni and his boys can salvage some pride and there is no whitewash, while Bangladesh will want to really drive home the point that it has arrived on the world stage with a 3-0 drubbing of India. A cricket connoisseur will want to witness a good contest, but I dare say, will slightly lean towards the underdogs Bangladesh.
Here is how Twitter reacted after Bangladesh's landmark feat:
This are not just series wins for Bangladesh, this is complete domination over erstwhile cricketing superiors. They have arrived at home.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) June 21, 2015Bangladesh's emergence in World Cricket should be applauded. Team India suffers from over confidence. Need to introspect.
— digvijaya singh (@digvijaya_28) June 22, 2015Fitting reply by Bangladesh to that awfully conceited "Bachha bachha nahin raha" ad by @StarSportsIndia. Kudos.
— Anand Ranganathan (@ARangarajan1972) June 21, 2015I don't think there are any excuses. There has, in fact, been a lot of appreciation and respect for what Bangladesh has achieved.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) June 21, 2015Congratulations to Bangladesh for joining the big boys club. Lesson for the Indian cricket team: Never under estimate your opponent.
— Pritish Nandy (@PritishNandy) June 21, 2015Always a great moment in sport when an underdog triumphs. Well played Bangladesh.
— Abhinav Bindra (@Abhinav_Bindra) June 21, 2015From this day on, may they will never be referred to, as 'minnows', ever again!!! Bravo Bangla Desh! #INDvBAN
— Boman Irani (@bomanirani) June 21, 2015Well played, Bangladesh. This is a GIANT leap. Hope they don't look back from here. Onwards and upwards ??????
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) June 21, 2015#INDvBAN Hope Indian team has not misunderstood..V had a land agreement with Bangladesh and not Cricket Match agreement ??
— Nishant Chaturvedi (@nishantchat) June 21, 2015Whatever the outcome, full marks to Bangladesh batsmen for bravado. Making light of a tense passage of play...
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) June 21, 2015