Mahmudullah revels in lead role

A few days before the 2015 World Cup, Mahmudullah Riyad was one of the last batsmen to walk out to the centre of the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka during a practice session. His role then, as was apparent in his intent to hit the ball into the empty stands, was to be Bangladesh's power striker at the end of the innings. It raised a few eyebrows as he did not seem a fit for that role; to those who saw him hit a Test hundred in Hamilton in only his fifth match just over a year ago he seemed a classy batsman capable of building an innings, and warranted a place higher up the order.

He was not a natural fit but he did manage an innings of pure grit in the tournament, which delivered a one-wicket win over England in Chittagong. That was Mahmudullah's career in a nutshell -- making the best of situations even though they are not suited to him. Of the 99 times he has walked out to bat in ODIs, on 63 occasions he has batted at number seven and 20 times at number six. If the team batted well he had to hit out from the get-go, and if the top order collapsed he had to bat for respectability with the tail. Judging by his career average of 35.24 he did both jobs admirably well, but went underappreciated by most outside the team because he did not have the big scores to grab the headlines. 

Until now.

Mahmudullah has now been given the opportunity to shed the supporting role and take the lead. Playing his seventh innings at number four, he became only the seventh batsman to score back to back centuries in World Cup history. In both those knocks, he proved his intelligence and class. In what has become a familiar feeling for him, Mahmudullah walked in on both occasions with Bangladesh in trouble and bailed them out. The difference on these occasions however was that he had the time to stamp his authority on the innings.

The context makes the innings against England a more important knock, but yesterday's unbeaten 128 must rank as one of the most complete and accomplished innings played by a Bangladeshi. Against a New Zealand attack that had dispatched Australia and England by the 35th over, he negotiated the thorough new-ball examination of Tim Southee and Trent Boult while building an important partnership with the impressive Soumya Sarker. But trouble was far from avoided -- against England and Australia it was Daniel Vettori who broke a partnership before one of Boult or Southee cut a swath through the batting order. Here too Vettori got rid of Sarker, and Boult was brought back in the very next over. Instead of meek surrender however, Mahmudullah unleashed a delectable cover drive off the second ball.

It was aggression of the controlled variety. Mahmudullah knew of Kiwi skipper Brendon McCullum's eagerness to bowl sides out by unleashing his best bowlers with little thought to death-over insurance, and so the man from Mymensingh bided his time. He did not panic when first Shakib and then Mushfiqur Rahim – who had done most of the late-over hitting against England -- departed in quick succession. Mahmudullah took charge, targeting Mitchell McGlenaghan and Grant Elliott for special punishment. In the process he guided Bangladesh to 288, 55 more than any other side has managed against New Zealand in the tournament so far.  

Mahmudullah's average of 51.36 in matches won is more than the corresponding numbers of Shakib, Mushfiqur and Tamim Iqbal. His stint in the supporting cast may have shaped him into the versatile batsman he is today, but his ascension to the lead role was long overdue. Longer may he lead.