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“If life is a 100-storeyed building, Cricket is just two of those.
Cricket is nothing, man.
Your biggest challenge is staying alive.”
Mashrafe Mortaza
*********
Guptill is down.
On the ground.
Shocked.
Shocked.
He just can't believe.
But he is trying to make believe.
The ball just rushed out of his hands.
They all know he is a very good fielder. And he could've stopped it.
But he has to realise that he couldn’t.
Down there, he shakes his head.
In despair, he looks up.
First, at his left.
Then right.
From what he sees, it’s not just him.
They all are trying to believe.
********
Kiwis, here, were the men in charge.
For most part of those 70 overs, they had it covered. There were moments of nerves. But when Bangladesh collapsed early, they were back on the wheel.
Southee was moving the ball.
It was hissing like a snake.
It flirted with pads.
It kissed edges.
It was all sharp.
But he has to realise that he couldn’t.
Down there, he shakes his head.
In despair, he looks up.
First, at his left.
Then right.
From what he sees, it’s not just him.
They all are trying to believe.
********
Kiwis, here, were the men in charge.
For most part of those 70 overs, they had it covered. There were moments of nerves. But when Bangladesh collapsed early, they were back on the wheel.
Southee was moving the ball.
It was hissing like a snake.
It flirted with pads.
It kissed edges.
It was all sharp.
And pace.
And precision.
Certainly, there were a few bits in the pitch that Mortaza wanted to bowl first. However, his bowlers being not so used to these conditions, he couldn’t dig as much as he liked. Against this Kiwi attack, hunting down 265 was never going to be easy.
And it wasn't.
Southee hit all those lengths that Bangladesh had missed.
And in a blink, Tigers were 12/3.
When Mushfiqur lost himself to duality of bounce, they went another down.
33/4.
*********
Tamim Iqbal had once told Cricinfo what consistent losing does to a sportsman.
"You are chasing 250 and you are 50/3, if you don’t know how to win, you’d just go and panic out there.”
And today, they were 12/3.
********
Mahmudullah hit a ball into the square.
Field was deep and wide. He knew he had to run two. But Shakib didn’t know how much he had to run.
He was way out of his crease when he realized that Mahmudullah had stopped. And he, too, had to.
Only thing he knew, he had to run.
And he had to keep running.
So, he ran hard.
His feet rose.
And he rode the ball.
********
As the shine flew off, it stopped moving.
White duke softened.
And the duality of bounce faded away.
Southee couldn’t get another.
Milne lost his length.
Boult couldn't shape it.
Santner just contained.
And Williamson lost his own.
When none could find inroads, Williamson stepped up.
He bowled.
And they hit him.
Way out of the game!
********
Against Shakib, it was a well thought choice.
He was just one away from his hundred.
Boult knew it.
He moved his field up.
And he pitched it short.
But Shakib had all the time to manage.
He got beneath it.
He kept his balance.
And then he lofted it way behind fine leg.
What a SIX!
He gets to his hundred.
But he doesn’t raise his bat.
Balls later, he walks off, shaking his head. Boult applauds him. With him, all Kiwis do. Every single person in the ground stands up for him.
Yet, he doesn’t raise his bat.
Minutes later, Mahmudullah gets to his hundred. It is his third in ICC events. He bows down.
Then he raises his bat.
Whole world is cheering.
*********
Out there, on the balcony, stands a captain.
He is not cheering.
He isn’t chanting.
Not even smiling.
He is just watching.
Emotions are flowing under his skin. But he is holding them.
He is the man who believes Cricket is nothing. It is just two of those 100 storeys.
To him, the biggest challenge is staying alive.
*********
And then, arrives the moment.
Mosaddek hits it hard.
It's a FOUR!
And Bangladesh have knocked New Zealand out of the Champions Trophy 2017.
As the ball kisses the rope and the crowd erupts in joy, the captain clinches his fists.
He raises his shoulders.
And he roars!
He did stay alive.
For eleven years and 356 days, he stayed alive to make it again.
This time, as a captain!
And precision.
Certainly, there were a few bits in the pitch that Mortaza wanted to bowl first. However, his bowlers being not so used to these conditions, he couldn’t dig as much as he liked. Against this Kiwi attack, hunting down 265 was never going to be easy.
And it wasn't.
Southee hit all those lengths that Bangladesh had missed.
And in a blink, Tigers were 12/3.
When Mushfiqur lost himself to duality of bounce, they went another down.
33/4.
*********
Tamim Iqbal had once told Cricinfo what consistent losing does to a sportsman.
"You are chasing 250 and you are 50/3, if you don’t know how to win, you’d just go and panic out there.”
And today, they were 12/3.
********
Mahmudullah hit a ball into the square.
Field was deep and wide. He knew he had to run two. But Shakib didn’t know how much he had to run.
He was way out of his crease when he realized that Mahmudullah had stopped. And he, too, had to.
Only thing he knew, he had to run.
And he had to keep running.
So, he ran hard.
His feet rose.
And he rode the ball.
********
As the shine flew off, it stopped moving.
White duke softened.
And the duality of bounce faded away.
Southee couldn’t get another.
Milne lost his length.
Boult couldn't shape it.
Santner just contained.
And Williamson lost his own.
When none could find inroads, Williamson stepped up.
He bowled.
And they hit him.
Way out of the game!
********
Against Shakib, it was a well thought choice.
He was just one away from his hundred.
Boult knew it.
He moved his field up.
And he pitched it short.
But Shakib had all the time to manage.
He got beneath it.
He kept his balance.
And then he lofted it way behind fine leg.
What a SIX!
He gets to his hundred.
But he doesn’t raise his bat.
Balls later, he walks off, shaking his head. Boult applauds him. With him, all Kiwis do. Every single person in the ground stands up for him.
Yet, he doesn’t raise his bat.
Minutes later, Mahmudullah gets to his hundred. It is his third in ICC events. He bows down.
Then he raises his bat.
Whole world is cheering.
*********
Out there, on the balcony, stands a captain.
He is not cheering.
He isn’t chanting.
Not even smiling.
He is just watching.
Emotions are flowing under his skin. But he is holding them.
He is the man who believes Cricket is nothing. It is just two of those 100 storeys.
To him, the biggest challenge is staying alive.
*********
And then, arrives the moment.
Mosaddek hits it hard.
It's a FOUR!
And Bangladesh have knocked New Zealand out of the Champions Trophy 2017.
As the ball kisses the rope and the crowd erupts in joy, the captain clinches his fists.
He raises his shoulders.
And he roars!
He did stay alive.
For eleven years and 356 days, he stayed alive to make it again.
This time, as a captain!
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