Sports Reporter :
Perhaps, the world of cricket has never seen such incredible defeat as Bangladesh by suffered on Wednesday in Bangalore in the T20 World Cup Cricket against hosts India. They needed just two runs to win and one run to level the score from three balls, but what Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah Riad did that day will bite and pain the 16 crore people for long, long time.
Indian captain Dhoni knew that defeat would be certain if the Bangladeshi batsmen made no mistake. And defeat could be turned into victory if the Bangladeshi batsmen lifted catches in the air. Accordingly, he gave few suggestions to his bowler Hardik Pandya, who delivered short pitch in his 3rd ball of his 4th over and team’s last over to lure Mushfiqur to go for big hit instead of taking single.
And Mushfiqur to the disbelief of the world lifted a catch straight to the fielder at mid-wicket taken by an Indian fielder. By that time Riad reached the striker’s end. But the right hander, considered to be the team’s one of the most dependable batsmen, did what his predecessor had done. This time, it was full toss. Riad could have sent the ball anywhere for a single if not two runs.
Still there was a slim chance to win the match. In the last ball of the match, Mustafizur Rahman was at the non-striker’s end and late inclusion Shuvagata Hom at the striker’s end. And again to the surprise of all, Shuvagata failed to strike the ball and Mustafizur was short by few inches to reach home to level the score. Thus, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the most intelligent wicket keeper-cum-captain of the world ran straight to the wicket with the ball instead of throwing.
The emerging Bangladesh lost the valuable match for lack of planning and farsightedness and poor captaincy. No conscious citizen can compromise country’s interests with foolhardiness of a person or of two. Frankly speaking what Mushfiqur and Riad did was nothing but foolish adventure.
Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar blamed Bangladesh team captain Mashrafe for the defeat. He should have guided his batsmen to take single in the last three balls of the match instead of going for glamorous shot.
Win and defeat are part of a game of any discipline. None will refuse to accept courageous defeat, but it is impossible to accept willful defeat like March 23. We are of the opinion that an inquiry committee should be formed to investigate the causes of the defeat. We shall also suggest the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to expel Mashrafe, Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah Riad from the national team for one year, while the Ministry of Sports in order to save the country’s cricket should call for an explanation from the BCB as to on what ground it had ignored more talented cricketers in picking up Tashkin and Arafat Sunny’s replacements.
Three wickets fell in the final over as India scraped past Bangladesh to stay in the race. It was but snatching victory from the jaws of defeat to keep alive their hopes of reaching the World Twenty20 semi-finals with a dramatic one-run win over Bangladesh on Wednesday.
