Tamim Iqbal says something he seems he has been trying to find a way to say for a while: that he feels bad that Bangladesh’s ODI series win in South Africa was largely unacknowledged in their country. No need for a ticker-tape parade in Dhaka, but a bit more attention for the new match-winners who contributed to the first series win in a country where they hadn’t won anything bar a game against West Indies in the 2007 T20 World Cup.
“I think winning an ODI series in South Africa’s backyard was big for us. It is one of our best achievements till now, but in my heart, I also feel sad,” Tamim told ESPNcricinfo.
“We, as a nation, celebrate small things. Because of how the Test series went, this ODI series achievement faded away.
“I don’t feel bad for myself, Shakib [Al Hasan] or Mushfiq [Mushfiqur Rahim]. I feel bad for the likes of [Mehidy Hasan] Miraz, Yasir [Ali], Taskin [Ahmed] and Shoriful [Islam]. They made huge contributions in the ODI series. It should have been celebrated a lot more.
“We have known all through that they have huge potential, so if they improve upon what they have started to do now, there’ll be nothing like it. Taskin, Shoriful and Litton [Das] are contributing regularly. Yasir is very new, but he played a fantastic knock in the first ODI. If they keep doing it, we will become a very, very good ODI team.”
But the conversation in Bangladesh turned quickly to how the Test batters had no answers to Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer, South Africa’s spinners who did the most damage in the Tests. But a cricket team is only as good as what it achieves.
“If you consider our history in South Africa before this tour, we used to get hammered in all formats in that country,” Tamim said. “This time, we won the ODI series, we competed in the first Test, but we were not up to the mark in the second. We could have played much better.
“I didn’t play the first Test but when I was watching from the dressing room, I couldn't say who would win the Test in the first four days. Both the teams competed hard. We had a really bad last day, which handed the result to South Africa.”
All said, Bangladesh’s twin fourth-innings collapses is a cause for worry.
“I am someone who doesn't give excuses. If it was my fault, I will readily admit that it was my fault," Tamim said.
“Saying that, you have to understand that Bangladesh batted in the most difficult times in both Tests in South Africa. We were basically playing a day-night Test in the second innings of both games. We had to survive for 25-30 overs. We couldn’t score runs. The wicket was also difficult.
“Still, we couldn't find other ways to score runs or survive. I am sure in the coming days, we will have this kind of situation again. We have to react better as a team. We have to play better in this situation, find out ways to score runs or survive."
However, the picture is rosier in the ODI side. Tamim leads a tight unit that has arrived at a good balance between batters, bowlers and allrounders. It has taken time, but the evolution has happened, Tamim said, adding that ODI-like success is needed in Tests - like the win against New Zealand in Mount Maunganui.
“Not just at the international level, our most competitive domestic competition is the Dhaka Premier League. It is a one-day tournament,” Tamim explained. "It has been taking place for not just 10-15 years, but 35 years, or even more. We were raised in this competitive one-day environment. “Secondly, we have tasted a lot of success in ODIs. It is helping improve the team. There's a lot of competition for places. We don't have similar kind of success in Tests or T20Is. What happened in Mount Maunganui, if this thing starts to repeat, then players will understand that we have to get better in Tests. I think we have to take a bigger step in Tests than in the other formats.”
