Records need not be pointed out to show that Bangladesh are yet to make big strides in the longest format of the game compared to their achievements in limited-overs cricket. When compared to other Test-playing nations, that gap only becomes more prominent.
Hence, pundits, journalists, Bangladesh’s fans and even the players almost instantly acknowledge the fact that the Tigers are a better limited-overs side in the international arena — especially favouring ODIs. But despite being a better ODI side when compared within their own matrix, the Tigers’ record away from home even in their strongest format is far off the standards set at home.
Bangladesh have had rare moments of success in both ODI and T20I World Cups and other major limited-overs ICC events over the years.
And while those remain some of the country’s most iconic cricketing moments that glorify and enrichen the country’s cricketing history, the Tigers can boast of very few triumphs in overseas series.
After a number of heartbreaks in major tournament finals, Bangladesh were only able to win their maiden multi-team ODI tournament when they lifted a trophy in a tri-nation tournament including the West Indies and hosts Ireland in 2019.
The Tigers won a three-match ODI series 2-1 against a full-fledged West Indies side in July, 2018, but other than that victories in overseas series against top-ranked sides have been few and far between. The fact that they are yet to taste victories in bilateral series in four foreign nations — South Africa, New Zealand, Pakistan and Australia — only adds to the Tigers’ woes.
But it is their failure in New Zealand that comes to the fore vividly as the Tigers have toured the nation four times, more than the three aforementioned countries, playing and losing 26 matches against the Kiwis in their backyard — 13 ODIs including one in the 2015 World Cup, four T20Is and nine Tests. They have had far more success against them while playing at home, with the famous 4-0 ‘Banglawash’ in 2010 being the most noteworthy of all.
While talking about the Tigers’ disreputable away record, one might be misled into thinking that the they have not had their moments of exhilaration away from home, especially in New Zealand.
However, with the Tigers currently on their fifth New Zealand sojourn for three ODIs and as many T20Is, we can find a number of inspiring individual performances across formats if we turn our focus to their previous outings against the Kiwis in their backyard.
But those knocks were just that, inspiring but never backed up by support from the team and that resulted in inevitable defeats.
Fifties from Henry Nicholls, Ross Taylor, skipper Tom Latham and cameos from James Neesham and Colin de Grandhomme helped New Zealand cruise to 330 for six in the third and final ODI against Bangladesh in Dunedin in February, 2019. Despite Sabbir Rahman scoring a century in that game, a lack of support from his teammates — only four others recorded double digits — culminated in Bangladesh losing by a huge margin of 88 runs.
Similarly, Mahmudullah Riyad’s unbeaten 128 in the 2015 World Cup game in Hamilton, Imrul Kayes’ 101 in Christchurch in 2010 or Mushfiqur Rahim’s 86 in Dunedin in 2010 were all trumped by a concerted team effort from the Kiwis, something the visitors missed on every occasion.
On every tour of New Zealand, it has been repeatedly proven that, aside from instances of individual brilliance, Bangladesh still have a long way to go in growing as a team. Can Tamim Iqbal, who is on his first overseas tour as Bangladesh’s ODI captain, bring his troops together to make amends in that particular aspect of the game in New Zealand this time around?
As evidenced by past tours, it is certainly not rare for Bangladeshi players to flourish in Kiwi conditions. But maybe what needs changing is a supply of ample support from other members of the team when any individual is having his day out in the middle. Maybe that could be the mantra for the Tigers to change the infamous record — that of not winning in 26 international games in New Zealand till date — on this tour.