A few years ago, not many would have considered the Bangladeshi Cricket Team worthy of a promotion to full ICC membership with test playing rights. However, The Tigers, as the team is commonly known, have proved their most pessimistic critics wrong. Recent World Cup exploits have earned Bangladesh the tag of giant killers and they are steadily bridging the gap to the top to be considered among the giants.
Co-hosts of the 2011 tournament, Bangladesh has come a long way from the time the team played their first international game in 1979 in the ICC Trophy in England. Bangladesh managed two wins and two loses during the tournament. The years that followed were not the best for cricket in Bangladesh. Football was becoming increasingly popular and cricket had taken a backseat.
It was in March 31, 1986 when Bangladesh played its first ODI, during the 1986 Asia Cup. This game was against Pakistan. By this time, cricket was slowly gaining ground in the country especially in the urban areas. After Bangladesh won the 1997 ICC Trophy in Malaysia, cricket once again earned the pedestal of the country's most popular game. That year, Bangladesh became a full ICC member with rights to play ODIs.
Bangladesh's first win in ODI came against Kenya in 1998. The following year, they played for their first Cricket World Cup in 1999 in England where they beat Pakistan in their first match. Though they did not qualify to the Super Six stage, Bangladesh proved to the world that they had a team that was capable of beating the very best in the world. And in their debut World Cup, they found their star players in bowler Khaled Mahmud and wicket keeper Khaled Mashud, who stood out thanks to their brilliant performances.
2000 started on a great note for Bangladesh as the country was included in the test playing nations and became the tenth nation to join the elite group. But their start was forgettable and so were the tests that followed. They lost to India in their first test and were on a losing streak for years that followed. From 2000 to 2004, Bangladesh played a total of 34 test matches, losing all of them, most by an innings. Critics strongly doubted their worthiness of being included among the test playing nations. However, redemption came in January 2005 when they defeated Zimbabwe in a test series and followed it with their first ever ODI series win in the same tournament.
Since then, Bangladesh has come of age. The team won another test series against West Indies in 2009 and has had many a memorable wins in ODIs as well. One of them was against India in the 2007 Cricket World Cup in West Indies when they ousted the former World Champs by 5 wickets and proceeded to qualify to the Super Eight stage. They also defeated South Africa convincingly by 67 runs in the same tournament. But probably, their recent series win against New Zealand in October of 2010 was a declaration of their intent. The 4-0 defeat they handed out to the Black Caps has proved that Bangladesh is one team that should not be taken lightly.
Their current squad is a strong one, with a mix of young blood and veterans who come to the tournament with loads of experience. The squad comprises of: Shakib Al Hasan (captain) All-Rounder, Mohammad Ashraful (Batsman), Tamim Iqbal (Batsman), Imrul Kayes (Batsman), Junaid Siddique (Batsman), Shahriar Nafees (Batsman), Raqibul Hasan (Batsman), Mushfiqur Rahim (Wicketkeeper), Naeem Islam (Batsman), Mahmudullah (All-Rounder) Abdur Razzak (Bowler), Rubel Hossain (Bowler), Shafiul Islam (Bowler), Nazmul Hossain (Bowler) and Suhrawadi Shuvo (Bowler).
Mashrafe Mortaza however, is out of the squad because of an injury. In his absence, a lot rests on the likes of Abdur Razzak, the leading wicket taker in the squad and captain Shakib Al Hasan, the second leading wicket taker and a prolific run getter.
Co-hosts of the 2011 tournament, Bangladesh has come a long way from the time the team played their first international game in 1979 in the ICC Trophy in England. Bangladesh managed two wins and two loses during the tournament. The years that followed were not the best for cricket in Bangladesh. Football was becoming increasingly popular and cricket had taken a backseat.
It was in March 31, 1986 when Bangladesh played its first ODI, during the 1986 Asia Cup. This game was against Pakistan. By this time, cricket was slowly gaining ground in the country especially in the urban areas. After Bangladesh won the 1997 ICC Trophy in Malaysia, cricket once again earned the pedestal of the country's most popular game. That year, Bangladesh became a full ICC member with rights to play ODIs.
Bangladesh's first win in ODI came against Kenya in 1998. The following year, they played for their first Cricket World Cup in 1999 in England where they beat Pakistan in their first match. Though they did not qualify to the Super Six stage, Bangladesh proved to the world that they had a team that was capable of beating the very best in the world. And in their debut World Cup, they found their star players in bowler Khaled Mahmud and wicket keeper Khaled Mashud, who stood out thanks to their brilliant performances.
2000 started on a great note for Bangladesh as the country was included in the test playing nations and became the tenth nation to join the elite group. But their start was forgettable and so were the tests that followed. They lost to India in their first test and were on a losing streak for years that followed. From 2000 to 2004, Bangladesh played a total of 34 test matches, losing all of them, most by an innings. Critics strongly doubted their worthiness of being included among the test playing nations. However, redemption came in January 2005 when they defeated Zimbabwe in a test series and followed it with their first ever ODI series win in the same tournament.
Since then, Bangladesh has come of age. The team won another test series against West Indies in 2009 and has had many a memorable wins in ODIs as well. One of them was against India in the 2007 Cricket World Cup in West Indies when they ousted the former World Champs by 5 wickets and proceeded to qualify to the Super Eight stage. They also defeated South Africa convincingly by 67 runs in the same tournament. But probably, their recent series win against New Zealand in October of 2010 was a declaration of their intent. The 4-0 defeat they handed out to the Black Caps has proved that Bangladesh is one team that should not be taken lightly.
Their current squad is a strong one, with a mix of young blood and veterans who come to the tournament with loads of experience. The squad comprises of: Shakib Al Hasan (captain) All-Rounder, Mohammad Ashraful (Batsman), Tamim Iqbal (Batsman), Imrul Kayes (Batsman), Junaid Siddique (Batsman), Shahriar Nafees (Batsman), Raqibul Hasan (Batsman), Mushfiqur Rahim (Wicketkeeper), Naeem Islam (Batsman), Mahmudullah (All-Rounder) Abdur Razzak (Bowler), Rubel Hossain (Bowler), Shafiul Islam (Bowler), Nazmul Hossain (Bowler) and Suhrawadi Shuvo (Bowler).
Mashrafe Mortaza however, is out of the squad because of an injury. In his absence, a lot rests on the likes of Abdur Razzak, the leading wicket taker in the squad and captain Shakib Al Hasan, the second leading wicket taker and a prolific run getter.
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