Bangladeshi cricket team
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The Bangladeshi cricket team is a national cricket team representing Bangladesh. It is administrated by the Bangladesh Cricket Board.
Bangladesh is a full member of the International Cricket Council with Test and one-day international status. It played its first Test match in 2000 (against India at Dhaka), becoming the tenth Test nation.
Bangladesh's promotion to Test status was controversial, as many regarded the team as too weak to compete against the established Test nations. The fact that the team lost 31 of its first 34 Tests, including a record losing streak of 21 games, has provided fodder for such criticism. The team came tantalisingly close to winning a Test match a few times, but were denied everytime until January 2005, when they finally broke the jinx in their 35th attempt and scored their maiden test victory in Chittagong against the touring Zimbabwe team.
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History of Bangladeshi international cricket
1999
Bangladesh famously beat Pakistan by 62 runs during the Cricket World Cup. Bangladesh managed 9/223 from 50 overs. Pakistan could only manage 161 due to a few run-outs by wicketkeeper Khaled Mashud and some tight bowling by Khaled Mahmud, who took 3/31 from 10 overs.
2004
In December, Bangladesh defeated India in their 100th ODI, and it was only the second time they beat a test playing nation.
2005
Early January, Bangladesh defeated Zimbabwe in their 35th test, their first ever test match victory. In the first test of the series, Bangladesh defeated Zimbabwe by 226 runs in Chittagong Stadium.
Bangladesh scored a huge total of 488 in the first innings. In reply, Zimbabwe was all out for only 312 for their first innings. Bangladesh's 2nd innings was declared after scoring 204 for 9 wickets. Powered by a spirited spell from Enamul Haque Jr., who took 6 wickets for 45 runs, Bangladesh wrapped up Zimbabwe's innings for only 154.
Bangladesh would have needed to get the fourth-highest fourth innings total to win in Test cricket history in the second Test of the series. They opted to play out the last four sessions playing conservatively and consequently secured a draw. This gave the team its first Test series win and triggered scenes of wild jubilation across the country. National coach Dav Whatmore was later quoted as saying that playing overly-aggressive cricket to try to win the test would not have been a good idea.
On June 18, Bangladesh scored a upset victory over the mighty Australia in the Natwest Trophy. Australia scored 249 runs for 5 wickets in 50 overs. In reply, Bangladesh reached 250 runs with 4 balls to spare. Mohammad Ashraful scored 100 runs, his first one-day century, for 101 runs, while Aftab Ahmed hit a huge 6 in the first ball of the final over, and hit a single for the next ball to win the game. This is a significant win for Bangladesh as the team was snubbed quite viciously by Richie Benaud, Mike Gatting and others as incompetent and not good enough for Test and One day cricket in the English media, just days before.
See also
External links
- Banglacricket: Bangladesh cricket fan site with an interactive forum (http://www.banglacricket.com)
- Cricket, Bangladesh and Beyond: Bangladesh and cricket articles and discussion forum (http://www.cricbd.com)