Micromax ODI Cup Bangladesh Vs Zimbabwe 2010
A year to remember
Shafiul Islam’s entire international career has been within the year 2010. Whether it is the 32 wickets that landed him in No 3 among the wicket-takers this year in one-day cricket or a stunning game-changing catch or even two very expensive spells; it has all taken place in the last 12 months.
As a result of the good and the bad, mostly good, the wiry paceman has earned attention with his nippy pace and ability to pick up wickets. Shafiul took his career best figures of four for 43 in the third one-dayer against Zimbabwe on December 5, and the quiet Bogra lad believes that the performance could help him in the long-run, especially with Mashrafe Bin Mortaza’s presence doubling the competition for a place among the two new-ball bowlers.
“I didn’t bowl much in the first two games and I didn’t bowl too well either. So I really wanted to do a good job in the third game. Mashrafe bhai will play. There will be a fight for the other spot. If I do well, there will be a chance for me to play,” said Shafiul.
Last Monday’s display was clinical, Shafiul picking up the in-form Craig Ervine early and then taking the last three wickets as the Tigers strolled past the Zimbabweans and made it 2-1 in their favour.
This was Shafiul’s third four-wicket haul, the last two coming in games where he was expensive: 4-61 against New Zealand back in Feburary and 4-59 against Ireland in July. He also happened to bowl two of the most expensive spells this year, a whopping 3-95 against Pakistan in Dambulla and 2-97 from nine overs against England in Birmingham, the match after Bangladesh beat the home side in Bristol.
“Actually my runs per over got up after two bad games against England and Pakistan. I gave a lot of runs in those matches. I think it is slightly difficult to bowl with the new ball,” he said, adding that the Bristol win would rate as one of the best this year: “I felt I bowled quite well against England [in Bristol]. We really wanted to beat England, because we hadn’t done so before.”
Shafiul’s initiation in international cricket has not gone unnoticed as Zimbabwe great Heath Streak said he was impressed by what he has seen so far. “I think it is great for Bangladesh cricket. For a short guy, he generates good pace and I think if he can keep himself fit, he can do well,” said Streak, now here with the Zimbabwe team as the bowling coach.
“He will be vital for Bangladesh in foreign conditions,” added the former captain.
Shafiul has dismissed Brendon McCullum three times already, in addition to Kumar Sangakkara and Eoin Morgan who got out twice to Shafiul, although the England batsman carved the paceman at a crucial stage last March.
In the other two departments of the game though, there is mixed reviews. While he’s a livewire in the field, Shafiul hasn’t done anything significant (other than a six as his first scoring shot in Test cricket) with the bat. “I’m not getting enough chances with the bat. We are not told anything special for Powerplay, but to rotate the strike when a proper batsman is at the other end,” he said.
But his fielding has been eye-catching, particularly two catches this year. “I like to take tough catches when I’m fielding. I always dreamt of taking a catch like that (in the NCL final earlier this year) and then the Vettori catch in the last series (in the fifth ODI). I always want to do something in the field to change the match,” said Shafiul.
