While
there were plenty
of surprises and
setbacks in the
first few rounds
of World Cup 2007,
there was none
whatsoever in
the final match
between Australia
and Sri Lanka.
To the dismay
of many Bangladeshis,
who were supporting
their fellow South
Asian country
and bored of seeing
Australia thrashing
opponent after
opponent, Ricky
Ponting's team
came through with
a convincing victory.
The Aussies posted
a formidable total
of 282 runs in
a reduced 38 over
innings. And it
was all because
of one man, Adam
Gilchrist, who
pulverized the
Lankan bowlers
with 149 runs
from only 104
balls.
Eleven years back,
Australia lost
to Sri Lanka in
the final match
of World Cup 1996.
Now in this World
Cup final they
had their revenge
when Sri Lanka
bagged a total
of 215 runs while
chasing 269 runs
in a further reduced
36 over innings.
While Mathew Hayden
failed to smash
Tendulkar's record
of 674 runs and
clinch the title
of the highest
scorer in a World
Cup, the right-hand
batsman was the
leading scorer
in this tournament,
with a total of
659 runs in 11
matches.
The tournament
was also memorable
for Australian
express bowler
Shaun Tait, who
took 23 wickets-Muttiah
Muralitharan did
as many-and is
a good addition
to the Aussies
team, especially
now that 37-year-old
veteran fast-bowler
Glen McGrath says
goodbye to his
cricket career.
McGrath's performance
in the tournament
was nothing short
of a splendid
spectacle. Named
as the "Player
of the Tournament",
McGrath claimed
26 wickets to
emerge as the
most successful
bowler in a single
ICC Cricket World
Cup.
Bangladesh's Performance
Bangladesh started
off for their
third appearance
in World Cup with
a stunning victory
over India but
unfortunately
wound up early
on conceding a
99-run defeat
to the host nation,
West Indies.
True, it was the
first time Bangladesh
made it to the
Super 8, and apart
from the win against
India, Tigers
also beat Bermuda
and took the world
by storm by defeating
the top-ranked
South Africa.
But in the other
six matches, including
the one against
the debutant Ireland,
Bangladesh lost
by big margins.
If you win against
a mighty opponent
but are defeated
by a weak opponent-and
worse still by
a non-test playing
nation-you give
enough reason
to critics for
lashing out at
your inconsistent
performance.
That Bangladesh
was the youngest
side in the tournament
was perhaps both
a lucky charm
and a curse. It
was the youngsters
who created the
finest moments
for Bangladesh
in the World Cup.
But in other instances,
the same youngsters
showed lack of
judgment and maturity
to play sensible
cricket. They,
however, had little
inspiration from
the team captain,
Habibul Bashar,
whose batting
had no oomph,
fielding lacked
grace, and captaincy
was devoid of
prudence. In the
match against
Ireland, Bashar
made a grave tactical
error by having
his fieldsmen
guard the boundaries
instead of having
them closer to
the batsmen to
create pressure.
As a result the
Irish were able
to post a handsome
total by taking
ones and twos.
There is no doubt
that there is
plenty of talent
among the young
players. Stylish
opener Tamim Iqbal
possesses the
ability to play
aggressively.
Mushfiqur Rahim
proved a worthy
contributor in
the match against
India with his
57 runs. Mohammad
Ashraful, the
top scorer for
Bangladesh with
a total of 216
runs from 9 matches,
collected a timely
match saving total
of 29 runs against
Bermuda and against
South Africa;
his 87 runs were
simply breathtaking.
But in other matches,
the performance
of Bangladeshi
batsmen was extremely
poor; their talents
seemed to come
out in spurts,
lacking the much-needed
consistency.
Our batsmen struggled
a lot playing
on fast and bouncy
wickets. Unless
we prepare fast
and bouncy tracks-similar
to the one in
Perth, Australia,
for example-and
have our cricketers
trained on those
tracks, we are
unlikely to produce
versatile players.
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