WATCH: The one delivery that sums up Bangladesh’s two home T20I series

Bangladesh delivered a couple of spectacular performances back-to-back on their home soil, resulting in T20I series defeats for the Trans-Tasman nations Australia and New Zealand. While the Tigers smashed Australia 4-1, they backed it up with another comprehensive show against the Kiwis to make it 3-2. Once again, the quality of the pitches provided were […]
 
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WATCH: The one delivery that sums up Bangladesh’s two home T20I series

Bangladesh delivered a couple of spectacular performances back-to-back on their home soil, resulting in T20I series defeats for the Trans-Tasman nations Australia and New Zealand. While the Tigers smashed Australia 4-1, they backed it up with another comprehensive show against the Kiwis to make it 3-2.

Once again, the quality of the pitches provided were under scrutiny, which is more often the case when a low-scoring series transpires in Asian conditions. But both Australia and New Zealand wouldn’t mind having gone through these difficult slow conditions, as the T20 World Cup coming up in October poses a similar challenge.

The conditions were so hostile for the batsmen, team scores in excess of 140 were achieved only twice across the 10 T20Is. Not just the visitors, even the hosts had a tough time with the willow in hand, with their highest score being 141 in the second T20I against New Zealand.

Also Read: WATCH: Mustafizur Rahman with a spectacular return catch in fourth BAN vs NZ T20I

One of the stars of the show for Bangladesh was the 26-year-old Nasum Ahmed, who picked up 16 wickets across both series (8 each), averaging under 12 in the Australia series, and just 8.38 against New Zealand. Senior talisman Shakib Al Hasan had one odd bad return against Daniel Christian, barring which he was nearly unplayable throughout the 10 games.

WATCH: The one delivery that sums up Bangladesh’s two home T20I series

A ball that sums up playing conditions in Bangladesh

One can already imagine the conditions that greeted both sets of players. Turn, bounce, and the slower one that never arrives. Former New Zealand cricketer Grant Elliott had tweeted a video from the 1st T20I between the Kiwis and Bangladesh, where Rachin Ravindra had bowled a nearly unplayable delivery, which summed up both the T20I series that took place in the last few weeks.

Having restricted the visitors to a paltry 60-run total batting first, Bangladesh’s road to victory had no major dead-ends, but some tough bumpers had to be seen through carefully. This one from Rachin Ravindra in the second innings of that game pitched just short of good length, and the pitch provided it turn and bounce that got the “ooohs” and “aaahs” out of everyone.

Here’s the video of that delivery by the Kiwi spinner.

Bangladesh will open their T20 World Cup campaign against Scotland on the 17th of October to find a place in the Super 12 stages of the tournament. They find themselves in Group B alongside Scotland, Oman and Papua New Guinea, and should ideally seal the top spot in the group.