In March 2022, Bangladesh had arrived in South Africa with history stacked against them. Until then, they had lost 13 ODIs in the nation – and that included World Cup games against two Associate nations – and won none.
The reason was not difficult to understand. In conditions that assisted seam, Bangladesh used 23 overs of pace per game. Between them, they accounted for 37 wickets at 53.67. A side with an attack like that is not expected to win in South Africa.
But this was 2022, the year in which Bangladesh’s seam fortunes had begun to turn. In a Test match in Mount Maunganui, Ebadot Hossain bowled the greatest spell by a Bangladeshi seamer in Test cricket, while Shoriful Islam and Taskin Ahmed had three-fors of their own. Bangladesh had their most famous win in their history.
When they finally won an ODI in South Africa – the first game of that series – it was after their batting heavyweights took them to 314-7 and Taskin and Shoriful shared five wickets. But their batting caved in against Kagiso Rabada in the second game, and the hosts easily squared the series.
In the decider in Centurion, Taskin broke the strong South African middle order with a spell of 5-35, while Mustafizur Rahman chipped in with 7-0-23-0. From 46-0, South Africa collapsed to 154, and Bangladesh pulled off a famous series win.
Taskin finished the series with eight wickets in that series at 14 apiece. For perspective, no Bangladeshi seamer had taken as many wickets in their careers in South Africa until that point. Mustafizur conceded 4.30 an over, while Shoriful had played his part in the first game.
Four years later, the Test win in New Zealand is probably celebrated more than the ODI series triumph in South Africa. However, one thing binds the two moments: fast bowlers played significant roles in both.
Their batting capitulated in the Durban Test that followed – they were bowled out for 53 in the fourth innings – but all that happened after their seamers shared 11 wickets. It marked only the third instance (the second was in Mount Maunganui) of their seamers taking 10 or more wickets in a Test outside Bangladesh or Zimbabwe. Since then, they have done it four more times.
A changing pattern in ODIs
It is perhaps common knowledge that over more than a decade, Bangladesh have had an excellent record in men’s ODIs on home soil. Since the start of November 2014, they have won 48 ODIs at home and lost 19. The win-loss ratio of 2.526 is better than South Africa’s 2.12, Sri Lanka’s 1.394, or the West Indies’ 0.777, and not far behind Australia’s 2.611 or England and India’s identical 2.541.
In familiar territory, Bangladesh have undoubtedly been a formidable force in ODIs. It has not been easy, for Mashrafe Mortaza, Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, and Mahmudullah have all faded out over this period.
Bangladesh have maintained their excellent run at home before, during, and after the first truly major transition in their history. Part of their success can be attributed to their fast bowlers.
Since the start of the abovementioned series in South Africa, Bangladeshi seamers have the fourth-best bowling average and second-best economy rate among all Full Member nations, and no team beats them in both departments.
This is a major drift if one looks at Bangladesh history. Whenever they have tasted success at the highest level, it has largely been due to their seemingly inexhaustible cohort of finger-spinners, backed by experienced batters. They have had fast bowlers, but seldom as a pack.
| Bangladesh seamers | Wickets/ODI | Average |
| Until South Africa series of 2022 | 3.15 | 36.06 |
| Since South Africa series of 2022 | 3.85 | 30.57 |
The new generation has changed that. Bangladesh now have a plethora of excellent fast bowlers to choose from. Against Pakistan, they backed their experienced duo of Taskin and Mustafizur (who bowl with opposite hands) with Nahid Rana, the fastest bowler in their history and used them in every game.
Across three games, the trio shared 19 wickets at 21.42 apiece. After the series, captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz called them their “best bowling options” who gave them “more chances to win matches”.
It gets better. Taskin and Mustafizur are yet to turn 31, and yet have more than a decade of ODI experience under their belts. Mustafizur has, in fact, been Shakib’s successor as the face of Bangladesh cricket in the myriad franchise-based leagues around the world. Nahid is 23, Shoriful 24, Hasan Mahmud 26, and Tanzim Hasan Sakib 23: their best years are probably ahead of them, but all of them have already left a mark.
Not only do Bangladesh have one of the best fast-bowling units in contemporary ODI cricket but theirs is also among the youngest.
The journey had started in South Africa four years ago. The next World Cup, a year and a half away, will be played in the same country. If they dare to dream of a best-ever campaign, their pacers will be at the core of that journey.
