Bangladesh 2015

How did they fare this year?


ODI
Obviously a pretty good year in ODI, with the highlight being the win against England to reach the WC QFs. (Bangladesh has won three of their last four matches against England, but those have been spread out over some years.) Following the WC they won four series at home.

WC Group stage: 3 wins, 2 losses, 1 aban
WC QF: loss to India
3 home matches v Pakistan: 3-0
3 home matches v India: 2-1
3 home matches v South Africa: 2-1
3 home matches v Zimbabwe: 3-0
All up 13 wins 5 losses. If we restricted to matches against the top 8 sides, 8 wins 5 losses.

All of this means they are up to 7th place on the ICC table, ahead of Pakistan and the West Indies and not far behind England.

Shakib remains their most important player in this form, but they've shown they can win without him. Mashrafe Mortaza has been reliable.


Test cricket.
I was quite disappointed that the Australian tour did not take place. Although I would not have expected Bdesh to win, I think we have reason to expect that they could have been competitive at home. It has been nearly a decade since the teams last played in the long form. That last series in 2006 included a match at Fatullah in which Rafique bowled the Bangers to a 158 run first innings lead. Warne and Gillespie rather rescued Australia who ended up reaching their second innings target with 3 wickets to spare.
This year much of the test cricket was rain affected. Touring teams choose gaps in their schedules and these seem to correspond with the rainy season. Only one of five tests was not a washout, and in that, they suffered a loss by over 300 due to big first innings tons by Azhar Ali, Younis, and Shafiq.

Pakistan, two tests. The first test was not much affected by rain. Pakistan compiled 628 in the first innings but Bangladesh were 555/6 at stumps on day 5 in their second innings due mainly to a 312 run opening stand by Tamim and Imrul, great fightback. The second test was a walkover for Pakistan.
India, one test. India had the match well under control and but for the rain would have won easily.
South Africa, two tests. Bdesh had a significant innings lead over South Africa in the first match. In the second match there was only day's play ending with Bdesh on 246/8.

Again, Shakib is the core and in honesty the rest of bowlers have struggled in Tests, but they have batsmen who can patiently accrue, something they've lacked in previous eras.

They remain a work in progress.

Would have prefered them to tour than the Windies.

Some highlights by Mohammad Isam
http://www.espncricinfo.com/review2015/content/story/949125.html

I had quite forgotten that India have never played a Test against Bangladesh at home