In a fishy turn of events, Bangladesh found themselves floundering as they handed Afghanistan a 92-run victory in the first ODI at Sharjah Cricket Ground.
The Tigers seemed to be swimming along nicely at 120 for three after 26 overs, with Mehedi Hasan Miraz anchoring the innings. But then, like a fish out of water, they were caught off guard. Miraz's dismissal in the 31st over triggered a catastrophic collapse, with Bangladesh losing six wickets in just 22 balls and adding a paltry 11 runs to their total. They were all out for 143, well short of Afghanistan's 235.
Allah Ghazanfar was the angler-in-chief, reeling in five wickets, while Rashid Khan netted two more. Ghazanfar's career-best figures of 6-26 were the catch of the day.
Najmul Hossain Shanto was the only Bangladeshi batsman to put up a fight, scoring a steady 47 off 68 balls, but it was a drop in the ocean.
Afghanistan's innings was a tale of resilience, with Mohammad Nabi and Hashmatullah Shahidi leading the charge. Their partnership of 104 runs for the sixth wicket was crucial after a shaky start at 71-5. Nabi's aggressive 84 off 79 balls, including four boundaries and three sixes, and Shahidi's patient 52 off 92 balls, laid the foundation for a respectable total. Nangeyalia Kharote's late 27 off 28 balls added some much-needed runs.
Despite the efforts of Bangladesh's bowlers, with Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman each taking four wickets, and Shoriful Islam chipping in with one, the batting collapse overshadowed their performance. It was a day where Bangladesh's batting frailties were laid bare, and Afghanistan capitalized brilliantly.
Reflecting on Shanto and Soumya's inability to read these traps brings to mind the concept of 'game awareness' in cricket. This term refers to a player's ability to understand and adapt to the match situation. For batsmen, it means adjusting their approach based on the pitch, the opposition, the bowler, and the match context. A batsman with high game awareness can change gears as needed, making them more effective.
Game awareness isn't about skill alone; it's crucial for translating ability into performance on the field. Unfortunately, this is where Bangladeshi batsmen often fall short, even veterans like Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah.
Mahmudullah's dismissal to Rashid Khan's googly on Wednesday was a prime example. Misreading a delivery pitched outside off stump, he played it as a leg spin, leaving a gap between bat and pad for the ball to hit the stumps.
Mushfiqur Rahim followed suit, falling prey to his favorite reverse sweep shot. His obsession with this shot has led to his downfall in several crucial moments, despite his experience, he misread Ghazanfar's carrom ball, mistaking it for off-spin, and was stumped by Ikram Alikhil.
Tanzid Hasan Tamim, the first batsman to be dismissed, made a similar error. Misreading a low carrom ball, he was trapped leg before. Despite playing 16 ODIs, his technique shows little improvement, reminiscent of his debut dismissal against Sri Lanka's Maheesh Theekshana.
While Tanzid might be excused for his inexperience, what about Towhid Hridoy? With Bangladesh at 138 for 8, chasing 236, and 17 overs remaining, Hridoy was the last recognized batsman. Yet, he chose to slog sweep and was bowled, displaying a lack of game awareness.
Before this tour, Hridoy was asked about his limited off-side shot range. His response was that many star batsmen excel playing primarily on the on-side, implying it shouldn't be an issue for him. For someone with 63 international matches, such an attitude raises questions about his willingness to improve.
