Bangladesh Cricket

Bangladesh and India commence a three-match one-day international series in Mirpur as both sides look to shake off the only recent Test that was ruined by rain.

Venue: Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur

Date: Thursday, June 18

Start time: 3 p.m. local time; 10 a.m. BST

Live on: Star Sports (India and Bangladesh), SuperSport (South Africa), PTV Sports (Pakistan and UAE)

Weather: According to Weather.com, Mirpur is in for some scattered thunderstorms, with temperatures peaking at 33 degrees Celsius.

Overview

Bangladesh and India head into this game having played the only Test in Fatullah but seen it ruined by rain that washed out almost 250 overs during Bangladesh’s monsoon season.

Both Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan scored big centuries for the away side in their only innings, and for a time it looked as though India could force the win.

They made Bangladesh follow on, but were stymied by the soggy conditions that were a nearly constant interruption.

Ravichandran Ashwin was a star with the ball as he took 5-87 in the first innings for India, while the returning Harbhajan Singh impressed with three wickets of his own.

The two teams now reconvene for a three-match ODI series, for which India have named a strong squad that includes a number of players who played in the recent Test.

Meanwhile, uncapped players Mustafizur Rahman and Litton Das are called up for the home side to replace Abul Hasan and the injured Mahmudullah.

With plenty of bad weather still around the country, it may be difficult for the two teams to play three uninterrupted games, but it should be a close series nonetheless.

A talented Bangladesh will fancy themselves on home turf, while India will be determined to show why they are among the best in the world.

Team News

Bangladesh (from): Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Sabbir Rahman, Nasir Hossain, Arafat Sunny, Taskin Ahmed, Rubel Hossain, Rony Talukdar, Mustafizur Rahman, Litton Das

India (from): Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), Ravichandran Ashwin, Stuart Binny, Shikhar Dhawan, Ravindra Jadeja, Virat Kohli, Dhawal Kulkarni, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Axar Patel, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Mohit Sharma, Rohit Sharma, Umesh Yadav

Key Players

Tamim Iqbal

So much hinges on Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal, who has the ability to really give the innings momentum early on.

If he is in form, expect boundaries galore and a high run rate as the home side look to capitalise on his flamboyant style.

Ravichandran Ashwin

Spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has stepped up well to be India’s leading slow bowler and showed himself to be right in form during the Test.

His 5-87 in the first innings put the away side in a strong position, and he will want more of the same in this first ODI.

Anybody who has been following the one-off Test between Bangladesh and India would have been frustrated by the rain at some point. Monsoon season has arrived in Bangladesh, and it’s had the presiding say over the cricket. June has always been the time when the rainy season starts in the country, so it seems almost illogical for a Test to be scheduled at this time of year.

There is a reason behind the timing of the series, though. The series was agreed upon last year when the “Big Three” pulled a heist on the way world cricket is run. Subsequently, the way tours are decided as per the Future Tours Programme changed quite drastically.

The schedule for 2014–2020 meant the boards of two teams looking to play a tour would have to sign a members' participation agreement (MPA). Both India and Bangladesh signed this agreement last year, and the time of the tour was agreed on the sidelines of last year’s ICC meeting, according to ESPNCricinfo’s Bangladesh correspondent Mohammed Islam.

Because Bangladesh was one of the last boards to agree to the “Big Three” position paper, there wasn’t much time to negotiate timing. The original FTP had India down for a visit in June-July, a foolish decision in the first place.

With South Africa scheduled for a visit in July, the schedule allowed for precious little manoeuvring. India’s own demanding schedule meant shifting the tour around simply wasn’t possible.

The problem is this. Bangladesh need the revenue teams like India bring through TV rights and such, so they could not say no to a tour, despite the fact never before had a Test been played in Bangladesh in June, July, August or September. When India toured Bangladesh last year, also through the rainy season, the result was similar with rain dominating much of play.

South Africa’s two Tests will be played in July and August, meaning Bangladesh would have made the wrong kind of history by the time that tour ends. It is hardly their fault, though. While Bangladesh is a much improved side in the limited overs format, they do not offer much of a challenge for bigger and stronger teams. Touring the country is, for many teams, an unappealing prospect.

It once again highlights that cricket needs a rethink about how its schedule is decided. Cutting out cricket in Bangladesh in the rainy months poses a tricky prospect since most countries have their season running from August to February, the same time as when it’s usually clear in Bangladesh. “Bigger” cricketing nations aren’t going to give up their traditional Boxing Day and New Year’s Tests in exchange for a trip to Bangladesh in this period.

Scheduling remains one of the toughest tasks in world cricket. The new world order that was ratified last year has made that even more difficult, and it means countries can focus on a largely self-serving outcome without too much consequence.

But in order for Bangladesh to get better, they have to keep playing. One possible solution is to allow for blossoming nations like Ireland, Afghanistan and other countries to play Tests against Bangladesh, possibly at neutral venues. The ICC certainly earns enough revenue to drip down some funds to make this a possibility.

But this will never happen; since the Big Three took over, cricket has become even more elitist than it was before, and Bangladesh are one of its wounded victims.

Big opponent. Bat first. Trail by approximately 300 after the first innings. 

For Bangladesh, that's what unfolded in the opening Test of the recently concluded series against Pakistan in Khulna. The hosts, unable to capitalise on a number of starts, fell short of what was necessary on a typically barren surface. And then Mohammad Hafeez and Co. hammered them, made them pay. 

From there, only one result seemed possible—Pakistan would surely romp to the finish line. For I'd seen this pattern before, way back in 2003 when Bangladesh travelled to the top-end of Australia for a peculiar winter series.

It was the first time I'd ever seen the Bangladeshis live in action. They were into their fourth year of five-day cricket, and they'd lost 13 of their first 19 Tests by an innings. Next up was arguably the greatest Australian side of all time.

The first Test was at the Marrara Cricket Ground in Darwin. Bangladesh, facing a big opponent—the biggest of them all—batted first. Quickly, they were blown away for 97. After the first innings, they trailed by approximately 300. 

The subsequent hiding was followed by a trip to the Bundaberg Rum Stadium (the most Australian name for anything, ever) in Cairns. Again, Bangladesh batted first, faring better the second time around to post 295. Australia replied with almost 600. Again, Bangladesh trailed by approximately 300. 

Then Stuart MacGill (remember him?) did his thing. 

Of course, Test cricket's relative newcomers have come a long way since—of their last 19 Tests, only two have ended in defeats by an innings. Four of them have even been wins. But trailing once more by 300 in Khulna, my expectation was still that Bangladesh would fold. 

But then they didn't. 

Tamim Iqbal racked up 206. Imrul Kayes cruised to 150. Between them, the pair put on the highest second-innings opening partnership in Test history. Bangladesh stormed to 555 for six and an emphatic draw, if there could ever be such a thing. 

Captain Mushfiqur Rahim labelled it as "nothing less than a win." Coach Chandika Hathurusingha said it was "a very big turning point in Bangladesh cricket." Days later, the same side was pummelled by 328 runs by a resurgent Pakistan in the second Test.

Crash. Bang. Earth.

Had those words been hasty? Premature? Initially it felt so. But the more time you gave to it, the more those thoughts changed. 

In similar conditions, this Pakistan outfit had walloped the Ashes-winning, world-conquering Australians just last year. They'd tamed Mitchell Johnson. They'd quelled Steven Smith. They'd blunted David Warner. They'd frustrated Michael Clarke. 

In the mood, like they were in Dhaka, this Pakistani side are a seriously good cricket team. For Bangladesh, there was no shame in losing the second Test. In fact, that they'd pushed Misbah-ul-Haq's men into a corner for the whole tour prior had actually been remarkable.

So effective had they been against the visitors that former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja angrily snapped that his country had reached the "lowest point in our international history."

Progress. Unquestionably. 

And what's more, Test cricket's infants look to have the tools to continue the upward trend that began in late 2014 and continued—even if it was a different format—through the World Cup. 

At the top of the order, Iqbal and Kayes, at 26 and 28, look to have established a partnership that's sustainable. After them, the exciting Mominul Haque is averaging a cool 60 at Test level. Then comes the nation's trump card in Shakib Al Hasan, and after him a revitalised captain in Mushfiqur, who's enjoyed a strong six months. 

For perhaps the first time in Bangladesh's history, the nation has a batting lineup that looks capable of genuinely scoring—just as it showed against Zimbabwe last year and now against Pakistan. 

Of course, the bowling lacks the same potency. Too much is thrust upon Shakib and Taijul Islam, spinners who lack the support of high-quality seam bowling. But decades ahead of them, India are still struggling with the same problem and have learned to cope. Bangladesh will too. And if 2015 is anything to go by, they could do so quickly. 

The signs are there that this is a nation steadily rising.

It's good for the game if it continues. 

At the start of the second day of the second Test against Pakistan, hosts Bangladesh needed to stay strong even in the face of lengthening odds against them avoiding defeat.

The Bangladeshis were already down to 10 players having lost seamer Shahadat Hossain to injury just two balls in, while their visitors had 323 for three on the scoreboard and plenty of time to bat.

However, by the end of the day, it became clear that the home side were unable to stay competitive, as they were 107 for five themselves with the bat after Pakistan declared at 557 for eight.

It was surely a daunting total to be faced with after Azhar Ali hit 226 and Asad Shafiq made 107 on a pitch that still very much favours the batsmen.

Especially after yesterday, when the hosts used nine bowlers in desperate hope of making a breakthrough, they would have been further disheartened to concede such a huge amount.

What it needed was an effort akin to the first Test, when openers Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes both made big scores in the second innings to drag Bangladesh to a draw.

In that game, Iqbal and Kayes showed how important it is to battle hard in a game such as this where you face a large deficit, and their team-mates largely followed.

However, it was not to be in the second Test, as the batsmen struggled against a bowling attack who looked energised and dangerous.

Iqbal started well enough as he hit a four in the first over but was then caught leg before wicket by Junaid Khan just two balls later.

Following him, the remaining batsmen all got starts in their innings but were unable to push on and prevent a batting collapse that leaves Bangladesh well behind the visitors.

Khan did well to dismiss Mominul Haque, while Mahmudullah received a vicious lifting delivery from Wahab Riaz that he could only loop up to short leg.

However, Kayes was beaten in the flight by spinner Yasir Shah to be bowled, something that is understandable but frustrating given he was on 32 at the time from 46 balls.

The opener had looked in good form but needed to stay until the end of the day and beyond to help his side get themselves somewhere close to parity or to avoid the follow-on.

By the time Mushfiqur Rahim was bowled by Shah from what turned out to be the last ball of the day, Bangladesh were in real trouble.

After the conclusion of the day, Kayes said, per ESPNCricinfo, that he felt that Pakistan’s disciplined bowling was what undid Bangladesh.

We were not batting in a hurry. We played our shots as they were bowling away from the body. It wasn't that there was a lot of good balls, there were some. It is nothing more than that. They bowled well in Khulna. They bowled well here too but we got out and put ourselves under pressure. The batsmen try to take responsibility, but it doesn't always come off.

They will be extremely disappointed to find themselves in this position, 450 runs behind with five wickets in hand and still 250 away from avoiding the follow-on.

On this day, Bangladesh looked unable to cope with the pressure from their opponents, and they only really have themselves to blame.

At the start of their second Test at home to Pakistan, Bangladesh would have been confident of continuing the good form that saw them secure a draw in the opening game.

However, at the end of day one, with the visitors on 323 for three, the hosts would be left cursing some poor luck and some bad selection decisions.

Going into the game, captain Mushfiqur Rahim was dealt a blow as seam bowler Rubel Hossain had to be replaced in the team because of injury.

Given a relative paucity of resources in the seam bowling department and a green pitch in Mirpur, Bangladesh selected just two front-line fast bowlers.

Those two—Mohammad Shahid and Shahadat Hossain—would be relied upon to do a great deal of work on the first day on a pitch offering little turn and with Pakistan batting first.

Unfortunately, a wrench was thrown into that plan inside the first over as Shahadat stumbled in his delivery stride and had to leave the field after just two balls.

It meant the new ball would have to be shared by Shahid and just one other player capable of bowling seam—the 22-year-old Soumya Sarkar.

That meant the spinners would be required to do a great deal of bowling on a flat and unresponsive pitch against a strong Pakistan batting attack.

In the end, Bangladesh used a total of nine bowlers, with only wicketkeeper Rahim and opener Tamim Iqbal not being asked to turn their arms over.

Shahid did well given the enormous responsibility that has now been thrust onto him in just his second Test, as he finished with two for 43 from his 21 overs on the first day.

However, the rest of the attack had very little to work with, while they did not help themselves as they twice bowled no balls with batsmen dismissed.

With Azhar Ali on 18, Shahid got him to edge a ball to third slip where he was caught, but the bowler was called for overstepping.

Then, Khan had a reprieve of his own as Sarkar induced him to lob up a catch to the fielder at short cover, only to be frustrated by a call of no ball.

By the end of the day, Rahim seemed powerless to prevent Pakistan from upping their run rate, with neither his seamers or spinners able to extract anything from an ageing ball.

Instead, he turned to part-time bowlers like Imrul Kayes, Shuvagata Hom and Mominul Haque for the remainder of the day, with little option beyond his tired front-liners.

It meant that Bangladesh finished the first day with their opponents well on top and little hope for respite, especially with Shahadat out for six months with a twisted knee, as reported by ESPN Cricinfo.

They will battle hard and look to recover, but this game already looks like an uphill struggle for the home side.

The first Test between Bangladesh and Pakistan petered out into a tame draw in Khulna.

The hosts, who trailed by 296 on first innings, made 555-6 in their second innings at the Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium.

			Runs	Minutes	Balls	4s	6s
Tamim Iqbal	st Sarfraz Ahmed	b Hafeez	206	438	278	17	7
Kayes	c Sub	b Zulfiqar Babar	150	346	240	16	3
M Haque		b Junaid Khan	21	38	51	2	1
Mahmudullah	lbw	b Junaid Khan	40	112	71	2	0
Shakib	not out		76	135	104	6	1
Mushfiqur Rahim	lbw	b Hafeez	0	4	5	0	0
Sarkar	c Hafeez	b Shafiq	33	50	45	4	0
Hom	not out		20	14	25	3	0
Extras		3nb 2w 0b 4lb	9
Bowler			Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
Junaid Khan			21	5	88	2
Zulfiqar Babar			32	1	125	1
Hafeez			20	0	82	2
Riaz			20	3	75	0
Yasir Shah			30	2	123	0
Azhar Ali			6	1	26	0
Shafiq			7	0	32	1

Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes made career bests as they shared an opening partnership of 312, a record for Bangladesh.

Tamim's 206 was the highest score by a Bangladesh player since their entry into Test cricket.

Bangladesh's Test score progression
145 Aminul Islam 2000
158* M Ashraful 2004
190 M Ashraful 2013
200 Mushfiqur Rahim 2013
206 Tamim 2015

— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) May 2, 2015

Resuming on 273-0, the openers extended their stand by 39 runs before Zulfiqar Babar ended the 12th-highest first-wicket partnership in Test cricket history.

Kayes had reached 150 before holing out at long-off, having hit 16 boundaries and three sixes in his 240-ball innings.

15th time both openers scoring 150+ in same Test innings
Last occasion: S Dhawan (187) & M Vijay (153) vs Aus at Mohali, March 2013#BanvPak

— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) May 2, 2015

Tamim brought up his double century in style as he smashed Junaid Khan down the ground for his seventh six.

He usurped Mushfiqur Rahim's previous Test best of 200 by a Bangladesh batsman in the process before being stumped off Mohammad Hafeez.

Bangladesh 399/3 (98.2 ov)
WICKET!!! Tamim Iqbal st †Sarfraz Ahmed b Mohammad Hafeez 206 (278b ) pic.twitter.com/zQLYa4h3Rv

— PTV Sports (@PTVSp0rts) May 2, 2015

The 26-year-old also hit 17 boundaries in his 278-ball innings.

Tanim Iqbal now has the highest individual score for Bangladesh in Tests (206), ODIs (154) and T20Is (88) @AltCricket @mohanstatsman

— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) May 2, 2015

Bangladesh went to tea on 451-3, a lead of 155, with Junaid having pegged back Mominul Haque's middle stump before Tamim's historic achievements.

However, a declaration was never on the cards on a docile pitch and Shakib Al Hasan (76 not out) helped himself to some cheap runs.

The second and final Test starts on Wednesday in Dhaka.

When Bangladesh finally bowled out Pakistan for 628 on the fourth day of the first Test in Khulna, the hosts found themselves behind by 296 with more than five sessions left in the game.

However, at the close of play, the home side found themselves in a vastly improved position of 273 without loss, with openers Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes having notched a century apiece.

It puts Bangladesh in a much stronger position than they have been in for the previous three days of the game and means they are in line to secure a draw.

Not only that, Iqbal and Kayes have shown incredible resolve and heart, while they also went about cutting their deficit and moving toward the draw in a very different way.

The two batsmen put on their runs in just 61 overs, an astonishing run rate of 4.47 runs per over, far above what a team battling for a draw would do.

Furthermore, neither batsman looked like they would be removed from the crease, with Iqbal only coming close as he had two appeals against him for leg before wicket turned down.

Both found the boundaries regularly on a docile pitch that seems to be offering less and less for the bowlers as the game has gone on.

They combined for seven sixes and 28 fours, and with Bangladesh now behind by just 23 runs with all 10 wickets remaining, the home side are in a very strong position.

It could have been so different earlier in the day, when Pakistan were finally dismissed for a mammoth score of 628, having resumed on 537 for five.

As the visitors began the fourth day, they looked to be aggressive and score quick runs so they could give themselves as much time as possible to bowl Bangladesh out.

When they were eventually out, Pakistan could reflect on an innings that saw Mohammad Hafeez score a double-century, with four other players scoring half-centuries of their own.

In the past, perhaps Bangladesh would have crumbled under the pressure of having conceded such a deficit to a talented Pakistan team, even on their home turf.

However, both opening batsmen finished unbeaten for the day, with Iqbal on 138 not out and Kayes on 132 not out.

There is still plenty of time left in the game, and it will still be challenging for the hosts to bat out the game for a draw.

They will require more of the same tomorrow from their batsmen, and cannot afford to allow their opponents to gather any momentum with the ball.

However, they will take great heart from their openers’ efforts, which broke Bangladesh’s record for highest opening partnership and highest partnership for any wicket in terms of runs scored.

If the hosts are to come away from this game unscathed ahead of the second Test in Dhaka next week, they will need to continue this effort.

Based on Iqbal and Kayes, they are certainly capable of doing just that and have shown real fight to overturn what could have been a very tall order indeed.

After whitewashing Pakistan in the recent one-day series, the first Test in Khulna was supposed to be Bangladesh's coming-out party in the five-day game. After a promising Day 1 performance, old habits resurfaced during the second as Mohammad Hafeez gave Pakistan control.

On paper, the Bangladeshi top six of Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Mominul Haque, Mahmudullah, Shakib al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim is as strong as it has ever been. Against Pakistan, they all reached at least 25, but none of them could record a better score than 80.

On flat pitches, Bangladesh can't afford to gift their wickets away. Shakib al Hasan, Soumya Sarkar and Mushfiqur did just that, chucking away good starts.

Mohammad Hafeez remains unbeaten on 137* as Pakistan ended Day 2 227/1 in reply to Bangladesh's 332 #BANvPAK pic.twitter.com/JlfGFX5HvD/s/3WLg

— RabnawaZ (@INDUS_SPORTS) April 29, 2015

Sides with winning mentalities often conjure up runs from unlikely places lower down the batting order. Just ask any England supporter his or her thoughts on Ian Healy and Brad Haddin, who have rescued countless seemingly lost causes for the Australians.

Bangladesh subsided from a promising 305 for four to a precarious 332 all out. That nine of the 11 batsmen reached double figures suggests a real missed opportunity. The final total looked about 100 under par, and Hafeez made them pay.

Hafeez endured a torrid start to his trip to Bangladesh. In his four innings before the first Test, he managed just 34 runs.

The 34-year-old has been in good touch in the five-day arena, though, and he dashed his way to his third Test century in as many games. This latest effort puts him in elite company, as Zaheer Abbas, Mudassar Nazar, Shoaib Mohammad, Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan are the only other Pakistanis to manage it.

100s in consecutive Tests (Pak): MYousuf 5. Zaheer Abbas, Mudassar Nazar, Shoaib Mohammad, MYousuf, Younis Khan & MHafeez each 3. #BANvPAK

— Fast Cricket #IPL (@Fast_Cricket) April 29, 2015

Hafeez was helped by some wayward Bangladesh bowling. When Mushfiqur needed to put on the brakes, his bowlers lacked the necessary discipline. Too many deliveries were short and wide. Too much was offered at leg stump, and Hafeez duly helped himself. On a pitch offering little assistance, it was an afternoon for the Bangladeshi bowlers to try to bore out the opposition.

In Bangladesh's first innings, only one batsman who passed 20 scored his runs at a strike rate of better than 50. That Hafeez managed to stroke his way to 137 not out scoring at 76.53 runs per 100 balls gives an indication of how the bowlers lost control.

Mohammad Hafeez last 5 Test innings :- 137* 24 197 101* 96 A total of 555 runs at an average of 185. #Cricket #BanvPak

— Inzamam Ul haq (@InzamamLive) April 29, 2015

The home side didn't help themselves in the field, either. They shelled Azhar Ali twice. He went on to close the day on an unbeaten 65.

If these two sides could catch, would be a 3-day Test #BanvPak

— Rossco (@Slipross) April 29, 2015

So what went wrong for Bangladesh on Day 2? Did the pressure of favouritism prove too much? Or was this disappointing effort just a reality check on expectations that were getting a little out of hand? We'll find out over the next few days.

Pakistan start Day 3 on 227 for one, 105 behind the hosts. They hold the upper hand after an excellent second day. A couple of early wickets on Thursday morning, and the great Bangladeshi revival could be back on.

Stats courtesy of ESPN Cricinfo.

It’s hard to believe Mominul Haque is just 23 years old or that he made his Test debut little over two years ago. On Tuesday, during Bangladesh’s first Test against Pakistan, Haque showed patience and maturity far beyond his years. That is, perhaps, the least surprising of all from this young Bangladeshi player who is making a real impact for his team. 

Mominul Haque in last 10 Tests
181 & 22*
47 & 126*
8 & 50
13 & 100*
51 & 12
3 & 56
53 & 0
35 & 54
48 & 131*
71* batting#BanvPak

— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) April 28, 2015

In 13 Tests, he has already scored eight fifties and four hundreds, with three of those hundreds coming against impressive opposition (two against New Zealand and one against Sri Lanka). On a day when Pakistan lost the toss on a flat deck and were put in to bowl, Haque showed immense patience for most of the day, only to fall in the final over after contributing a stubborn 80 off 162 balls.

Although Haque’s dismissal so late in the day was highly unnecessary, he has shown over the last few months that he has tremendous potential.  He still has a long way to go in his Test career, but Haque currently has the second highest batting average in the history of the game, for those players who have batted in a minimum of 20 innings.

Highest #Test Batting Averages (min. 20 inns): 99.94 Bradman 65.78 Mominul 60.97 Pollock 60.83 Headley 60.73 Sutcliffe #Cricket

— #Cricbuzz (@LiveCricbuzz) April 28, 2015

Sure, the stats might be somewhat convoluted considering the man before and those after him have long since retired, and he has played just a fraction of matches compared to the rest, but the young Bangladeshi certainly has made an emphatic start to his Test career. He has shown tenacity and dedication, and while he still has a lot to learn, it will give Bangladesh great confidence to know they have a young player who is wise beyond his years.

After many false promises, @BCBtigers will turn a corner forever and really belong on the biggest stage if they win this series. Solid start

— Neil Manthorp (@NeilManthorp) April 28, 2015

There is a long way to go in this Test, but there are some very positive signs for Bangladesh thus far. After a sublime effort in the limited overs series against Pakistan, Bangladesh now have a real chance to prove a point and show that the results they have recently achieved aren’t simply a fluke. After reaching the quarterfinals in the World Cup, they have already showed that their limited overs side is on the right tracking after a clean sweep over Pakistan, and now they have to do the same in Tests.

Having beaten Zimbabwe 3-0 in a Test series last year and winning the ODI series 5-0, there was belief that things were starting to change for Bangladesh. They had just lost a series against a rather lacklustre West Indies, so the emphatic results against Zimbabwe were significant.

50+ scores in most consecutive test matches
12 AB deV
11 Viv Richards/Gambhir/Sehwag
10* MOMINUL HAQUE
10 J Edrich/S Tendulkar#BANvPAK

— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) April 28, 2015

They have continued to progress steadily, but this series against Pakistan is by far one of the most important ones they will play this year. A win in this series, or even just a Test victory over Pakistan, will prove once and for all that Bangladesh have finally turned a significant cricket corner. They face a much tougher Test later in the year when South Africa come to visit, but for now, all energy will be focussed on the delicately poised Test against Pakistan. They are in a strong position at 236-4 at the close of play on day one and need to build form here by keeping calm and hoping that everyone can show the maturity of Haque.

All information obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

Bangladesh's impressive series at home to Pakistan continued when they won the one-off Twenty20 International, led once again by premier all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan.

The Bangladeshis celebrated their first ever T20I win over Pakistan with their seven-wicket victory, having already secured their maiden one-day international series win earlier this week.

It was a victory they could not have achieved without Al Hasan, who returned to his national team after two games in the Indian Premier League for the Kolkata Knight Riders.

First up, his bowling came to the fore when he was handed the new ball and asked to restrict the Pakistan openers with his left-arm spin.

He finished his four overs with having conceded just 17 runs. While he did not take a wicket, his contributions early and late in the innings were vital.

In his first two overs, Al Hasan gave up just two runs, with Mushfiqur Rahim nearly stumping Mukhtar Ahmed when he attempted an enormous heave and missed.

He then returned in the 17th over for another spell, and while he conceded his first and only boundary off Mohammad Hafeez, he gave up only nine runs at a crucial time.

Then, his fourth and final over went for just six, as he managed to contain a Pakistan batting lineup that would have been desperate to push on and up their run-rate.

Al Hasan's effort was very helpful, as Pakistan could only manage 141 for five from their 20 overs, meaning Bangladesh had an infinitely reachable target ahead of them for victory.

With the bat, Al Hasan was again called upon early, as he came to the crease in the first over after debutant Soumya Sarkar was run out by Saeed Ajmal.

His side wobbled slightly as both Tamim Iqbal and Rahim were dismissed in short order, but Al Hasan held firm along with Sabbir Rahman.

The pair managed to keep up a high run-rate, with Al Hasan, in particular, starting quite slowly but then kicking on as his confidence grew.

He was a vision of calm alongside the 23-year-old Rahman, clearly enjoying the role of senior partner and ensuring that the Bangladeshi reply did not collapse.

In the end, Al Hasan hit the winning runs and finished unbeaten on 57 from 41 balls, having hit nine fours, as well.

It is something of a period of transition for Bangladesh, with a number of young players still making their way in international cricket alongside some more established individuals.

It means that the onus is on Al Hasan, still his country's top player even after being banned and returning.

He contributes so much with bat and ball and is an all-rounder in the truest sense, especially considering the leadership capabilities he also brings to the table.

Against Pakistan in this T20I, he showed exactly why he is so highly rated in international cricket and why he is so important to Bangladesh and their young team.

With a two-match Test series to follow against the same opponents, Al Hasan will want to be on top form, and Bangladesh will need him to be just that, too.