Rain threatens final ODI
The Tigers’ shift to Chittagong is sure to bring back memories of the turnaround during the World Cup. And if that thought passes them by, a glance from the bus window would surely help them remember what happened here seven months ago.
The road towards the Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, and the stadium itself, is still decked in World Cup colours. It could help trick Mushfiqur Rahim’s men into thinking that they have returned to those few days when they arrived with the “58 all out” disaster weighing on them heavily, before they shocked England on March 11. The inspiration is much needed, of course, because of the Tigers’ current state — already down 2-0 in a three-match ODI series against the West Indies and with a Test match just a few days away.
There will be some changes to the Bangladesh team that lost the first two ODIs, with Abdur Razzak making way for Sohrawardi Shuvo and Mohammad Ashraful also unlikely to retain his place, in which case Shahriar Nafees will slot in.
Added to the misery of the series defeat is the weather in the port city. Heavy rain, for more than 45 minutes, interrupted the Tigers’ warm-up session but it was the leaden sky above the cricket ground that would have worried everyone.
The forecast for today and the next few days will also force the groundstaff to stay alert as the areas not covered, around 10-15% of the ground, don’t dry up fast. The poor drainage facilities at the Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium will ultimately be the major hindrance for the ODI series to end properly and the Test series to begin. According to sources, the National Sports Council had allocated Tk 3 crore for complete overhauling of the venue but the project was shelved as it would have meant the port city missing out on international cricket this series.
West Indies trained in bright conditions during the morning session but it has turned into a wet welcome for a team that has returned to Chittagong after their last bilateral series in 2002, when they beat the Tigers by seven wickets. From that team led by wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs, only Marlon Samuels and Shivnarine Chanderpaul remain in the visitors’ squad though the 133-Test veteran will only be part of the Test team.
Earlier in the 2002 series, the first ODI was washed out at the MA Aziz Stadium, ominous for today’s game though the threat of another damp squib is nothing new for this city, or the new international venue. An ODI each had been called off without a ball being bowled in 2007 (against India) and 2010 (against Zimbabwe).
But as the rain-soaked covers stared blankly, it will actually take a monumental effort from curator Zahid Reza Babu, who will be wishing for a rain-free 24 hours ahead of the game, before the Tigers are asked to take the World Cup-esque return to winning ways.
-With The Daily Star input
