|| CF Correspondent ||

Bangladesh national cricket team came to finish a hectic schedule hitting one of its greatest lows in the recent times and leave a big list of concerns to be taken care of. The side had started on high winning its first multination title in May reigning over West Indies and hosts Ireland, get to a flying start in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 but finish as eighth giving birth to concerns. With emotion and vision of a revival from the wrongs in the World Cup they had come to Sri Lanka for a three-match ODI series but could only find the issues deepening as they conceded a 3-0 whitewash and find the hosts celebrate a series win at home for the first time in almost four years.

Bangladesh have been dealing with inconsistency in all three departments, it was there in majority of the games in the World Cup in England and Wales and the pressure to get rid of those had come on shoulders of an interim coach and a captain. The BCB had ended its association with Steve Rhodes right after the ICC flagship event and named Khaled Mahmud to take charge of the Tigers in the tour of the island. As for the captain, Mashrafe bin Mortaza being ruled out from injury in the last minute saw the charge fall on Tamim Iqbal, who was in his own difficulties of dealing a pale patch. It is understood that the left-handed opener was given no option but to take the responsibility of the team as other alternatives had raised their hands to take the job. The Bangladesh squad also missed its ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan and middle order batter Liton Das, both on leave for personal reasons.

Amongst the three departments it was perhaps the batting that come got the most part of the discussion and scrutiny. The Bangladesh top order was off the order in most part of the World Cup and it had remained the same in the first two games against Sri Lanka and the side did not have Shakib Al Hasan to stable the shaken starts like it has been recently. Mushfiqur Rahim was key to Bangladesh’s somewhat recovery in the first two games but both went in vain with the side conceding defeats.

The wicket-keeper batsman finished as top scorer for Bangladesh with 175 runs in the series backed by 67 and unbeaten 98 in the first two games. In the third, Mushfiqur had come to bat in a dire situation yet once again but this time had failed to contribute in Bangladesh’s ambition of avoiding the whitewash. Soumya Sarkar had got back to runs scoring his first half century in the format in 10 innings with adding 69 runs to the board I the third ODI but concern over two senior men Tamim and Mahmudullah remained. Tamim in the series could score only 21 runs to stretch his difficult times while Mahmudullah scored just 18.  

With the ball Shafiul Islam topped the series and for Bangladesh with six wickets while left-arm spinner Taijul Islam finished as the most economical for the side playing two matches. Both the bowlers had made a comeback to the fold though the series. Pacer Shafiul played his first ODI since October 2016 while Taijul played his first since September 2016. But trouble of early and timely breakthroughs dealing with the death overs remained. In the third ODI Bangladesh had Sri Lanka cornered below 200 runs going into the last 10 overs of the innings. But as it happened, the opposition batters had a shift in gear milking 106 runs in the final part of the innings leaving the Bangladesh bowlers in tatters and snatch the momentum away.    

Fielding bloopers have been a trouble the Tigers had to deal throughout the series. Giving away easy runs and dropping catches, at least 15 in the three matches, of crucial wickets and at crucial times have only added spice to the side’s worries. Even the best of the fielders in shape of Sabbir Rahman, Mosaddek Hossain and Mahmudullah juggling the ball was a regular for the Bangladesh side to deal with.

With the series Bangladesh will now go into long break before regrouping for the Afghanistan series at home in September. The series which was initially was to be a tri-nation involving Zimbawe was made to redo with the African nation’s ICC membership being seized. A good fraction of the cricket fraternity believes the break is a much needed as it will allow the cricketers to get rid of the fatigue and more importantly think of a way out from the lean patch for those who are in need.