Tanzid makes his chance count in World Cup

FE Team | Published: October 20, 2023 21:01:10

Bangladesh's new-kid-on-the-block Tanzid Hasan Tamim position in the playing XI came under scrutiny following his successive failures in the ongoing ICC World Cup before his maiden ODI half-century against India at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Thursday, report agencies.
Tanzid, who idolizes Tamim Iqbal, came up with stroke-filled knock to get another lifeline to his career, considering it would have been interesting to see whether he could have retained his place in the playing XI against India if regular ODI skipper Shakib Al Hasan was available. Shakib was rested for the crucial game due to his quad tear that he sustained in their last game against New Zealand.
Against India in Pune, the left-handed opener's reached 40 off 28 balls with a flurry of fours and sixes off Siraj and Shardul Thakur. Then to his fifty off 41 balls. Tanzid drove five fours in addition to his three sixes from a whip, a hook and a blast over the covers. Kuldeep Yadav brought an end to Tanzid's breakout ODI innings, but not before the young batter made a big crowd go quiet for an hour and 15 minutes.
It was the innings that Bangladesh's cricket-watching public had been waiting for.
It wouldn't have been surprising if Bangladesh had opted for a new opening pair considering they had eight different ODI opening pairs in 2023 so far- Liton Kumar Das-Tamim Iqbal, Rony Talukdar- Tamim Iqbal, Liton Das- Mohammad Naim, Mohammad Naim- Tanzid Hasan, Mehedy Hasan Miraz- Mohammad Naim, Tanzid Hasan- Zakir Hasan. Litton- Tanzid Hasan- and it seemed after all these experiments at the top Bangladesh team management eventually settled down for Tanzid and Litton for the time being at least.
Though there were several changes in the batting order, the duo managed to get a permanent batting position in all the four games that they played so far in the competition and it certainly paid dividends at last, precisely for the boy from Bogura, who is expected to fill the shoes of legendary Tamim Iqbal in future.
Bangladesh's new-look opening pair of Tanzid and Liton certainly repaid the faith of the team management as they put up 93 runs in 14.4 overs, their highest opening stand score in the World Cup, to lay the platform for a big score against India though it went in vain due to the inability of the other batsmen. The middle order failed to capitalise on the platform and that helped India to earn a comfortable seven wicket win.
Liton certainly looked to be in good touch making two half centuries respectively against England and India in the tournament but for Tanzid it was not the case as he failed to impress making 5, 1 and 16 in the opening three games of the tournament that put his place under scrutiny despite the fact that he shined in the two warm-up games respectively against Sri Lanka and England in Guwahati. That impressed the team management to an extent though in reality they hardly managed to deliver before their game against India at crowd-filled MCA.
Tanzid said that he will take confidence from his maiden half-century against India.
"Certainly this innings will give me confidence and the team management that includes the captain and the coach always believed that I can do something good and I am trying from my part to do something," Tanzid told reporters at the mixed zone after the game.
"I have failed in the last three matches but today I could do something and I will try to work on my lacking," he said while added that he know this innings hardly have any value from teams perspective.