The first year of this decade was eventful for Bangladesh cricket, partly for a glorious achievement but vastly for the off the field issues and perpetual defeat that marred the game's progress significantly.
The women's cricket generally draws less attention but they created the history by qualifying to the Women's World Cup for the first time. But men's cricket which always hogs the limelight failed miserably, making the year a forgettable one.
The men's cricket had successes specially in ODI cricket and also they found them winning the series against Australia and New Zealand for the first time in T20 format but there were some defeats in all format, which put a shed on those successes.
In fact each story of defeat turned into an epic failure at the end of the year. And the situation further got worsened due to the spat and ego issues amongst the senior players. There was miscommunication between BCB top brash and players and sometimes the relationship seemed to have stained.
While the year passed like a nightmare of despair, those off the field issues have exacerbated the pain and agony. Bangladesh cricket perhaps would not like to remember the year of 2021. The BSS sports department is bringing back various memories of the eventful year.
A quick stat
Bangladesh played seven Test matches in this year, winning just one against Zimbabwe. They lost five matches and drew one. The Tigers played 12 ODIs this year and the success rate was excellent
as usually in this format. They won eight matches, the highest amongst the Test nations in an another Covid-19-affected year when most of the teams played less number of matches.
Bangladesh played 27 T20 matches, the most number of matches they played in a calendar year. They lost 16 and won 11, eight of those came against Australia and New Zealand at home soil ahead of the T20 World Cup.
Bangladesh vs IPL
Before the end of the West Indies series, Shakib Al Hasan made headlines again as he showed his desire to play IPL, skipping Sri Lanka Tests. His logic was to prepare him for T20 World Cup by playing IPL even though Bangladesh had already hit lowest ebb by being whitewashed in Test series against a literally third ranked West Indies side.
'So called' Tamim vs Mahmudullah spat Just ahead of announcing the team for the T20 World Cup, Tamim withdrew his name, citing the reason that those who played regularly in this format, should be considered ahead of him. In a video message he said he talked to BCB president Nazmul Hassan Papon before skipping the global event. But later it was discovered he had issues with T20 captain Mahmudullah Riyad, which led him to pull out.
Tragic T20 World Cup
Repeatedly, winning the matches, specially against Australia and New Zealand, playing on a slow wicket at home is building fake confidence. At that time none of the concerned people raised their heads. And the result: Bangladesh is Super Flop in the World Cup. The Bangladesh team led by Mahmudullah went to the World Cup where Mahmudullah, Shakib and Mushfiqur had all the experience of playing in the T20 World Cup. But they stumbled in the first match of the qualifying round, being beaten and bruised by Scotland who were bold enough to announce that they would beat Bangladesh.
And finally a news to savour
Amid all the disappointing talks and results, what was to savour was the news of Bangladesh Women's cricket being qualified to the Women's World Cup. The Bangladesh team has progressed to the 2022 Women's World Cup in New Zealand for the first time after the nine-team qualifying tournament in Harare was called off. Bangladesh beat Pakistan by three wickets and crushed the USA by 270 runs before experiencing a shocking 16-run defeat to Thailand by DLS method. Still Bangladesh topped the Group B.
