Tamim under scanner for poor strike rate
Photo - BCB , Roton Gomes
|| CF Correspondent ||
Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal’s strike rate came under scanner as many believe it is not appropriate in the ongoing World Cup.
According to many former cricketers his approach is very effective in Bangladesh considering that suits the styole of the host against international teams but however it is not appropriate in English condition where batsmen are scoring more than a run per delivery.
If we look over his career, we will see Tamim batted with the same type of strike rate throughout his career, Tamim has scored 6,805 in his ODI career, he has scored 11 centuries and has a strike rate of 78.05,
And now if we divide Tamim’s career into two parts: from 2007 to March, 2015 Tamim scored 4,125 runs with 4 centuries and his strike rate was 77.49 in that time and in his better part of the career from 2015 to June 2019, Tamim played 57 matches in this time , he scored 2680 runs in those matches and his average is 54.69 and strike rate 77.49, so we can clearly see that there is not much difference in his strike rate throughout, his strike rate was always like this.
In this World Cup Tamim is batting at 75.78 strike rate , Shakib is batting at 103.40 strike rate, Liton Das at 132.55, Soumya at 114.89, Mushfiq at 91.38 and Mahmudullah at 98.78 . So, from this stat its clear that Tamim is batting at much slower strike rate than his colleagues in this World Cup.
Before the World Cup Tamim talked to the press about his slow strike rate where he mentioned that he is playing in this manner to serve the purpose of the team, ‘’The team has given me a role, its to play long innings, to protect one end,’’ said Tamim.
‘’And for this I am starting slow at the start,’’ he said while he added recently that he is not interested to have English like wicket in Bangladesh that only validate that he is comfortable playing at the pace he is playing.
Bangladesh’s famous batting coach Nazmul Abedin Fahim is unfazed about Tamim’s slow strike rate rather he is worried about Tamim’s lack of runs in this World Cup.
“ There is nothing to worry about Tamim’s strike rate, rather he is not scoring runs in this World Cup, that can be a talking point. “ Fahim said.
“ In this World Cup Tamim didn’t bat that way. For Tamim, what happens is he starts cautiously, then gets set and score runs. I don’t see any point of talking about his strike rate. Our team plan is that, he doesn’t throw his wicket away. His strike rate is not a matter of concern but his current form is. “ Fahim added.
Tamim’s performance in this World Cup hasn’t been up to the mark. He scored 169 runs in 5 matches, with a half century and his average is just 33.80 in this World Cup.
After 2015 World cup Tamim’s performance has been phenomenal, he is the highest scorer of Bangladesh in this time. The other three pillars of Bangladesh cricket Shakib, Mushfiq and Riad scored less runs but their strike rate is higher.
Tamim is getting 3 more matches in the group stage to improve his strike rate, against Afghanistan, India and Pakistan. And all three matches are a must win game for Bangladesh. Bangladesh will face Afghanistan on June 24 in a do or die match.
