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New milestone in cricket history

Tigers seal Test win over NZ


Published : 05 Jan 2022 11:02 PM

The Tigers, for the first time in history, have busted the cricket stronghold and won a test match against New Zealand. The saying goes that for Bangladesh, the winning of test cricket was almost impossible. But the tiger finally made it possible. And it is an epoch-making victory against the cricket giant that holds the Test Championship. A special chapter has been unfolded in Bangladesh cricket history on Wednesday as the Tigers roared to an away Test win over New Zealand by a comprehensive margin of eight wickets at Mount Maunganui.

Bangladesh now lead the two-match series by 1-0. This is also Bangladesh’s first ever win in the World Test Championship.

PresidentAbdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also congratulated the national cricket team as they secured a thumping victory over New Zealand.

In felicitation messages, the head of the state and the cricket-fan, Prime Minister greeted all the players, coach, and officials of the national cricket team as well as Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) officials concerned for beating New Zealand.

President Abdul Hamid and PM Hasina expressed hope that the winning spree of the Bangladesh cricket team would continue in future.

When Ebadot Hossain blew Ross Taylor’s stamp, the light of dawn had not yet dawned in Bangladesh, but the whole of Bangladesh seemed to be glistening in the light of Mount Maunganui, 11,000 kilometres away. When the match-winning run came at the bat of Mushfiqur Rahim, the sun just peeked out on a winter morning. The sun of new day seems to have risen in Bangladesh cricket too.

In the first hour of the morning, pacers Ebadot-Taskin made it easy for the batsmen as they dismantled New Zealand for just 169 runs in the second innings. Bangladesh then accomplished the 40-run target with ease. Nazmul Hossain Shanto and Sadman Islam returned to the pavilion with scores of 16 and 3 respectively. However, from there two experienced campaigners Mominul Haque and Mushfiqur Rahim took Bangladesh towards the shores of victory without any disaster.

This is definitely the biggest achievement in Bangladesh cricket. And that came without the contribution of some of the senior cricketers in the country's cricket. Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal were not in the squad. Mahmudullah Riyad has retired. Only Mushfiqur Rahim was from the seniors. But his contribution in this match was only 12 runs and 3 * runs. This proves the country’s cricket is now ready to take the next step with the newly boosted squad.

With 147 runs for 5 wickets on the previous day, New Zealand was able to stand a little more than 10 overs in front of the fiery fast bowlers of Bangladesh. The task of making history on the last day has been done very quickly and all the plaudits go to pacer Ebadot Hossain, whose lethal pace bowling was too much for the Kiwi batters. He scalped 6 wickets.

Still it was a team effort which earned Bangladesh such a historic victory. MominulHaque, Liton Das, Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Nazmul Hossain Shanto batted hard in the first innings to give Bangladesh a solid first innings total. Shoriful Islam, Taskin Ahmed and Mehedi Hasan Miraz also performed brilliantly with the ball.

However, Ebadot overtook them all in the second innings. This right-handed pacer lost his tag of being an ok Test bowler and became a destroyer.

Inswing, outswing, reverse swing, everything was there in his second innings bowling display. On the fourth day, he took 3 wickets in a great spell and paved the way for victory. Ebadot finally grabbed 6 wickets for 46 runs. No Bangladeshi fast bowler has taken 5 wickets in Tests since 2013. In the end, Ebadot’s figure was 21-6-48-6!

Despite playing 32 matches against New Zealand in all three formats, Bangladesh did not win any. The most miserable situation was in the Tests. Almost unbelievably that situation does not exist anymore. Anotherstat can explain how significant achievement this is for Bangladesh. No team from the subcontinent has won a Test in New Zealand in the last 10 years. Pakistan last won in 2011, India in 2009 and Sri Lanka last won in 2006. Another piece of information would be New Zealand's unbeaten run at home. New Zealand have not lost a Test at home since 2017. In this period they won 8 consecutive Test series. This Bangladesh team won in that stronghold of the opponent and made history.