Bangladesh's cricket team is in transition, but on the right path

Bangladesh could have started the year in a better fashion with a historic Test win. But they could not quite sustain the momentum in this format.

The year was mixed for the ODI side as well as they won against South Africa, West Indies and India but lost against Zimbabwe.

The year saw them making some big decisions too that may well have a big impact.

The Business Standard (TBS) attempts to compile the most significant happenings of Bangladesh cricket in 2022.

Miracle of the Mount

Bangladesh defied all odds to register their first Test win over New Zealand and to achieve that in their own backyard was a monumental effort. It was one of those rare occasions when almost everyone in the XI registered significant contributions but it was the much-maligned Ebadot Hossain who set the stage on fire with a match-turning six-wicket haul. It was undoubtedly the greatest moment in Bangladesh's Test history.

Afif, Miraz pull off a heist

Chasing 216, Bangladesh lost as many as six wickets and were down to the last recognised pair. But Afif Hossain found an ally in Mehidy Hasan Miraz to pull off a heist, recording the highest-ever seventh wicket stand (174) while chasing. Afif's 93* was the highest individual score by a Bangladeshi at number seven and Miraz's 81* was the highest at number eight (which he himself bettered later in the year).

Tigers better Protea Fire

Bangladesh's dream run continued as they beat South Africa in an away ODI series for the first time in their history. The Tigers rode on the batting brilliance of the likes of Shakib Al Hasan, Yasir Ali, Tamim Iqbal, and Litton Das and the bowling performances of Taskin Ahmed and Mehidy Hasan Miraz to beat the Proteas who had just whitewashed India in an ODI series at home.

The class of Das 

Litton Das, with 1921 runs, is the second-highest run-getter of the year in international cricket and his tally is the highest by a Bangladeshi batter in a calendar year. Litton scored three hundreds and 13 fifties this year and a lot of these runs came outside Bangladesh. Litton climbed up to 12th in the ICC Test rankings for batters which is the best achievement by a Bangladeshi in Tests.

Bangladesh's most successful T20 World Cup

Bangladesh put up their best-ever performance in a T20 World Cup this year as they won for the first time in the main round of the tournament. They beat the Netherlands comfortably in the end and clinched an absolute thriller against Zimbabwe. They gave India an almighty scare thanks to Litton Das and could even have made the semis if they had beaten Pakistan in their last group game.

Youth over experience in T20Is

The Tigers went into the World Cup with a young side with Shakib Al Hasan being the only member of the celebrated "Fab five". Tamim Iqbal, away from T20Is for a long time, announced his retirement from the shortest format. Mushfiqur Rahim was under pressure after a poor Asia Cup and retired after the tournament. Mahmudullah, who was relieved of captaincy earlier, was left out of the World Cup squad too.

Miraz finds Midas Touch against India 

Mehidy Hasan Miraz had a series to remember against India as he won two ODIs with little contribution from other members of the batting unit. In the first ODI, he stitched a record partnership with Mustafizur Rahman to pull off a remarkable comeback and a couple of days later hit a sensational hundred to take Bangladesh to a winning total from a position where they are staring down the barrel.

Zakir's debut delight at ZACS

Zakir Hasan got an opportunity to open the innings against India in the absence of Tamim Iqbal on the back of a couple of prolific domestic seasons and he grabbed the opportunity with both hands. His hundred against India was only the second one by an opener on debut in the fourth innings of a Test match. The way he negated the spinners of India in particular won him laurels.

Fast-bowling Renaissance 

Bangladesh have now started to produce fast bowlers who can win matches in all formats. 2022 has been the most prolific year for Bangladesh's fast bowlers. Ebadot Hossain won a Test match in New Zealand, Taskin Ahmed got an ODI fifer in South Africa, Khaled Ahmed got a Test fifer and Ebadot rattled India with his pace later in the year with Mustafizur Rahman being ever-present.

Bangladesh going the England way?

Not many teams in the world have separate coaches for separate formats but Bangladesh are heading towards split coaching like England. They had already relieved Russell Domingo of T20I duties and with the South African leaving the job, the BCB is thinking of having a coach for Tests and ODIs and giving T20I consultant S Sriram a wider role who was appointed ahead of the Asia Cup and the T20 World Cup.