Finale at Fatullah
The application that Bangladeshi cricketers showed in Fatullah seems to suggest that Sophia Gardens wasn't perhaps all of a flash-in-the-pan victory, after all! One is however confronted with the inconsistency of a streak of defeats peppered with scanty wins that has been dogging Bangladesh for umpteenth years now, and which has understandably been provoking denigrating remarks on its Test status from various quarters for quite some time now.
In fact, even Australian Captain Ricky Ponting was also persuaded to the same doubtful notion about Bangladesh's cricketing ability for meriting Test status not very long ago, though he has tempered his past remarks with a prudent prognosis on Bangladesh's prospects on arrival in Dhaka, if not for assuaging the hosts, but for recognition of Bangladesh's recent streak of wins, particularly over Kenya, a long-time parenthetical companion of Bangladesh in cricketing standards, with whom Bangladesh has now achieved a difference with day-lights in between.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. What, then, has made the difference for Bangladesh to perform as it has been doing for some time now? As Bangladesh's Coach Dav Whatmore would perhaps be prone to saying with understandable aplomb, "It's confidence, Old Chap". Whatmore has diligently been articulating on the aspect of faith and confidence for quite some time now, insisting in the same breath that Bangladesh wasn't wanting in talent though. Take, for instance, the cases of Shahriar Nafis, Habibul Bashar, Aftab Ahmed, Ashraful, Mashrafi-bin-Mortuza, Rafique, Razin Saleh, Khaled Masud, Shahadat Hussain, Enamul Jr., et al.
Faith and Fatullah do indeed appear to have become handy handmaidens for Bangladesh's success on the cricket field. While Sophia Gardens sizzled with the sheer delight of a serenading spirit of youthful exuberance, Fatullah does not appear to be a fever pitch of frenzied and frenetic fervour. Fatullah rather seems to convey a coming-of-age for Bangladesh's Cricket, - brimming with faith, and confidence and dogged determination.
Cricketing pundits in the commentary box have also ascribed this faith-gelling fiesta at Fatullah to a youthful team bonding together, not with barmy bravado, but boiling over with confidence in their capabilities. Confidence has done the trick for Bangladesh's cricket team, and detractors and doubters have hopefully been put in their place.
If the finale at Fatullah is the beginning of the end for Bangladesh, it is likewise the end of the beginning for those who had doubted in Bangladesh's Test playing capabilities. Confident cricket has at last caught up with Bangladesh's team, but let Fatullah not be the last hurrah! Let Fatullah not be the last frontier.