Mushfiqur Rahim’s late blitz was the only bright spot yesterday with heavy rain spoiling the BCB Cup game between the Tigers and the GP-BCB National Cricket Academy at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday.
The sharp spell of rain early in the morning kept the players waiting till noon to start the game, which was reduced to a 34-over affair while the clouds cleared up for a couple of hours, but as Mushfiqur was putting the final touches on the national team’s score of 215-8 with his unbeaten 64 off just 30 balls, it began pouring down and at around 3:00pm, the umpires called off the match due to a wet outfield.
The Tigers were put into bat after the new skipper Abdur Razzak lost his first toss. On a pitch slightly freshened up by the rain, the Academy seamers found conditions to their liking. Kamrul Islam Rabbi, having corrected his run-up during the off-season, bowled with a lot of pace and was soon rewarded when he removed the out-of-form Imrul Kayes in the fourth over.
Shahriar Nafees and Alok Kapali, promoted to No 3, added 61 for the second wicket before left-arm spinner Sanjamul Islam dismissed him for 38. Nafees showed much intent as he struck seven boundaries in his 52-ball innings. Kapali too looked in touch as he batted with confidence; one of his four boundaries was the famed Kapali flick.
But both fell in the space of an over while Shuvogoto Hom Chowdhury continued his ordinary time in the tournament as Mahmudul Hasan, the Academy skipper, eked out three wickets in the middle overs. Nasir, who hammered a six and two boundaries, fell for a 16-ball 24 to the accurate off-spinner.
Mushfiqur looked every bit the form player as he accelerated the Bangladesh innings from the 25th over. During his 62-run sixth wicket stand with Mohammad Ashraful, the wicketkeeper-batsman dominated with his second consecutive half-century. After Ashraful fell for 27, Mushfiqur took on the Academy attack with some brilliant shots. His one-handed slap over point for six was the highlight of an innings that had six boundaries and four sixes, most of which came in the last Batting Powerplay, which brought 39 runs from three overs.
Mushfiqur was particularly harsh on Alauddin Babu, who was hammered for two fours and a six in the last over of the innings. But by the time Alauddin had started the last over, the rain had started to pelt down on the players and when Mushfiqur had finished hitting his sixth boundary, the players had to rush off the field.
Later, the 23-year-old said that his newfound confidence comes from a tough outing in Zimbabwe.
“The confidence comes from the Zimbabwe series, where I made runs on a difficult wicket in the practice game. It started from there and I think I’m still working as hard as before,” said Mushfiqur, who was willing to wait before the captaincy was decided.
“Whether the captaincy will affect my cricket can only be said after I become the captain, but if I’m honest to myself, I’m always happy. I have no headache regarding the issue, someone will be the captain. The team is doing well and I’m performing, so I’m happy about it,” he added.
The abandoned game also meant that the selectors and the team management didn’t get to see Razzak’s captaincy.
But the left-arm spinner will have another crack at leading the team when he will skipper the national team once again in today’s game against Bangladesh A.
BRIEF SCORES
BANGLADESH: 215-8 in 34 overs (Mushfiqur 64 not out, Nafees 38; Mahmudul 3-27).
Result: Match abandoned.
-With The Daily Star input
