Tigers’ first roar
The 1999 World Cup in the United Kingdom was a happy one for Bangladesh. Not only did they qualify and play their first World Cup, they were also the only non-Test playing Cup debutants to win two matches.
Bangladesh’s first victory was against Scotland in the Group B match at Edinburgh on May 24, but it was their second win that paved the way to their elevation to Test status the following year.
When Bangladesh squared off against favourites Pakistan for their last match at Northampton on May 31, few would have given them a chance to do anything but give a good account of themselves.
Pakistan won the toss and sent the minnows in, expecting their spectacular attack of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar and Saqlain Mushtaq to make short shrift of the Tigers. They were in for a surprise.
Openers Shahriar Hossain and Mehrab Hossain got them off to a solid start, keeping the Pakistanis out and scoring briskly to reach 69 in the 16th over.
Shahriar Hossain, who assumed the dominant role in the opening partnership, was trapped in front to Saqlain for 39. That brought the nation’s two beloved sons together: Akram Khan and Aminul Islam. The two built a pivotal partnership to take the total to 120 for two. Akram played a fine hand for his 42 before falling victim to Waqar Younis with the score on 148. Naimur Rahman (13), Minhazul Abedin (14) and Khaled Mahmud (27) all made worthwhile contributions to take the score past 200, the first time Bangladesh had achieved the feat in the World Cup.
Pakistan’s reply was as shambolic as Bangladesh’s fielding was inspired.
The diminutive Khaled Mahmud opened the bowling with his floating medium pacers, and got the wicket of Shahid Afridi in the first over. Shafiuddin Ahmed bowled Ijaz Ahmed for a duck off the last ball of the second over and then disaster struck. Saeed Anwar was sold the dummy by Inzamamul Haq, resulting in a run-out.
Then man-of-the-match Mahmud struck a twin blow, getting rid of the vastly experienced pair of Inzamam and Salim Malik, both trapped in front.
And when Saqlain Mushtaq was brilliantly run out by keeper Khaled Masud, the scenes at Northampton turned chaotic. The whole of Bangladesh celebrated a win that was as unlikely as it was sweet.
