Wc dt special

FI IN XTU SI R DE E 3 MUSKETEERS PAGE 19

THE MAN WHO STARTED IT ALL PAGE 6

THE FORGOTTEN MAN PAGE 7

Dhaka Tribune

THROUGH THE COVERS Saturday, February 14, 2015

A SPECIA L PRO D UC T ION OF

2015 ICC World Cup at a glance

F E B R UA RY 1 4 , 2 0 1 5

The 2015 Cricket World Cup will be the 11th Cricket World Cup, to be jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand from February 14 to March 29, 2015.

14 teams will play 49 matches in 14 venues, with Australia staging 26 games at grounds in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney while New Zealand will host 23 games in Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Napier, Nelson and Wellington.

This is the second time that the tournament will be held in Australia and New Zealand, with the first being the 1992 Cricket World Cup. Sachin Tendulkar has been named as the 2015 Cricket World Cup Ambassador by the ICC for the second time, after the 2011 Cricket World Cup. India are the defending champions, having won the tournament in 2011 when it was held in the Indian subcontinent, defeating Sri Lanka in the final by 6 wickets.

EDITOR Zafar Sobhan SPORT EDITOR Raihan Mahmood SPORT TEAM Reazur Rahman Rohan Mazhar Uddin Omi Minhaz Uddin Khan Fazley Rabbi Moon Ali Shahriyar Bappa Shishir Hoque Rashad Banna GRAPHICS DESIGN Arifur Rahman Masum COLOUR SPECIALIST Shekhar Mondal PRODUCTION Masum Billah ADVERTISING Zia-Ur-Rahman CIRCULATION Masud Kabir Pavel PHOTOS Cricinfo, AFP, Reuters Email: sport@dhakatribune.com facebook.com/DhakaTribuneSport Web: www.dhakatribune.com

EDITOR’S NOTE The quadrennial ICC Cricket World Cup has now taken its place among the premier sporting events of the world. It has come a long way since the first tournament was held in England in 1975, and the event is now eagerly anticipated by hundreds of millions from every continent around the world.

Nowhere is this anticipation greater than in Bangladesh. The cricket world cup has been the occasion for some of the national team’s biggest victories, over Pakistan in 1999, India in 2007, and England in 2011. Even beyond our support for the Tigers, the entire nation will be glued to the television for the next month and a half to partake of this festival of world class competition.

Who will emerge victorious in the end? This year it is truly anyone’s guess, with home field advantage perhaps giving the edge to the tow hosts. But, whoever wins, we all look forward to a month and a half of sublime skills and top-class talents, and nowhere will you find better or more detailed or more insightful coverage than here in the sports pages of the Dhaka Tribune.

We hope you will enjoy this special supplement as a taste of what is to come and that you will allow us to remain with you over the next 45 days, sharing every joy and every heartbreak. Let us all wish our national team well and hope that they acquit themselves as admirably as we all know they have the ability to do. Go Tigers!

Dhaka Tribune | Through The Covers | Saturday, February 14, 2015

3

PREVIEW WORLD CUP DOWN UNDER

THE PERFECT DELIVERY

YOUSUF RAHMAN (BABU) Former national cricketer and vice-captain. He is the first Bangladesh cricketer to score a century in an international match when he scored 115 against Papua New Guinea in the 1982 ICC Trophy. Apart from being a stylish and attacking opening batsman, he also bowled medium pace with great success.

Represented Bangladesh from 1977 till 1984 when he retired from international cricket on his own accord.

T

he Aussies, Kiwis and the Proteas are hot, the rest of them are not!

So is the belief among all cricket pundits, fans and critique all across the globe. So the question that is asked most often is, “who will bowl the perfect delivery and take home the coveted trophy in the 11th ICC World Cup?”.

Since the very first one in 1975, only once did a host nation - India in 2011 - win it. With Australia and New Zealand playing near perfect cricket for the past two months the feat is likely to be repeated. The question is, “will the other aspiring nations be mere spectators and allow this to happen?”. Only time will tell.

4

Let us first address the surfaces that the players will be exposed to. Pitches in Australia and New Zealand have been known to be seamer-friendly with plenty of bounce and pace. However, one must remember this is not a Test series between two countries where the host nations prepare wickets that favour them. This is a multi-nation ODI (limited-over) tournament and traditionally, in a limited-over match, the pitches are batting friendly. Yes, there will be speed and bounce but they won’t be dangerous with abnormal lateral movement. After all, the ICCgoverned ODI cricket favours the batsmen more than the bowlers.

There are far more restrictions on the fielding side than there are on the batting side. The simple reason for this imbalance is to try and have high-scoring matches. After all, the spectators and sponsors must get their penny’s worth.

We have seen the reliability of the wickets Down Under over time and they have some of the best curators in the business. The bounce will be true and higher than the typical sub-continental height so batsmen who are strong on the back foot will prosper because most of the runs available will be square of the wicket. No bowler, especially the quickies, enjoys the sight of a batsman driving him in front of the wicket. Having pointed this out, let us look at the front-line nations and how they are likely to fare in the 11th ICC World Cup. Anyone and everyone with the slightest connection with the game are coming up with their own theories and picking their own winner. Australia is on top of

Dhaka Tribune | Through The Covers | Saturday, February 14, 2015

the list for more than one reason.

They are at home, the team has found its balance, its players are in great form and most importantly, they are on a winning spree. The same can be said about the Kiwis (Black Caps). I would give the Kiwis more of a chance not only because their cricket is in the same vein as the Aussies, but they are one-up on the Aussies because of their come-from-behind ODI series win against a strong Pakistan side that had just won the Test series against Australia in the UAE. The South Africans are also in fine form with a tremendously well-balanced side, however, this team will have a testing time Down Under and, with their record of giving it away in the last minute, one tends to suspect the level of their inner strength that will be required to carry them across the finish line.

While the top three contenders are on everyone’s betting list, let us not forget about the other likely usurpers. Among them, England is one team that will try to strike a decent balance as soon as possible.

They do have a fairly potent bowling attack with some batting to produce the runs, however, the team’s younger lot is still trying to anchor their role and become match winners. To add to this is the woeful fact that their first outing is against Australia, the result of which may create a big dent in English confidence.

India has struggled after a hardfought Test series against Australia that saw a batting star turn into a demi-god to the Indian fans. Virat Kohli’s consistent performance encouraged some of the others

to step up and ride “shotgun” for him on his stagecoach to success.

But then we saw how they fell off the cliff in the tri-nation ODI series played immediately after the Test series. In spite of the poor performance in the ODI series India will be back competing hard. Pakistan, as usual, is the unpredictable dark horse that initially throws a huge scare and then quite efficiently veers off course. The problem is that their first encounter is against India so I am somewhat unsure as who will scare who. However, the result of the match against India will set their tone in the championship.

India, in my mind, has one of the most explosive batting lineups.

With the brilliant form of Kohli, the team’s batting is riding high as others have displayed their mettle as well. Add to this the team’s exposure to Aussie conditions in the recently concluded Test series and you have a potential winner.

The team has two major worries.

One of which is their top order being suspect against genuine fast bowling (as we have seen in the tri-nation ODI series) and the other being their bowling - their weakest link. As I mentioned earlier, their first match against Pakistan will set the course for them.

Australia will count on the explosive form of David Warner and Aaron Finch, the in-form reliability of Steve Smith along with a few others to provide the bulk of the runs so that the strike bowlers can control and steer the matches in their favour. The question is whether the return of Michael Clarke as skipper will have

PREVIEW

any adverse effect on the team’s performance. It may be a blessing in disguise if Clarke remains on the sidelines. Their first-round match against England will be their toughest only because the “Pommies” are expected to come at them with all engines firing.

Sri Lanka has seen its golden days and is a team that is under re-construction.

With Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara and Tillakaratne Dilshan about to ride into the sunset, this team will be a participant with a fighting spirit at best. I will be pleasantly surprised if they go beyond the quarterfinals. Like Sri Lanka, Pakistan is an unsettled team with not the best results in their recent ODI encounters. They lost the last few series they played against Sri Lanka, Australia and New Zealand including the one against the Kiwis that saw them overwhelmingly outclassed in every department.

With injuries to some key bowlers and the bans on Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Hafeez, Pakistan’s much daunted bowling attack is similar to that of a toothless tiger.

As I wrote earlier, the result of their first match against India will write the script for the team in this World Cup. It will also be interesting to see how Yasir Shah, their much talked about leggie, fares in the tournament.

I cannot make this a complete analysis without writing a paragraph on leg-spinners, a dying art that seems to have seen a revival of sorts in recent years with the success of Shahid Afridi, Imran Tahir and now Yasir. Leg-spinners are natural wicket-takers and on their day, match-winners. Nothing would please the legendary Shane Warne more than to see a leggie win matches for his team. This can actually happen if Yasir (provided he is picked), Tahir or Afridi has their day. However, much will depend on the surfaces that they get to play on.

The Caribbean lot has been going through quite a bit since the team pulled out of the India tour followed by the sacking of some it its key players. While this has affected the team to some extent, it certainly did not come to the forefront during their current tour of South Africa. The team has fought hard against the South Africans and come up with some performances that they can be proud of. A lot will depend on Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels to provide the runs. This team will make it into the quarterfinals but it will be here where their journey is most likely going to end.

I have already mentioned New Zealand and South Africa as not just challengers but as contenders.

Both teams have well-balanced line-ups and are firing on all cylinders. Both teams have several impact players that are naturally gifted match-winners. We cannot forget that South Africa has produced some high-class teams in the past but somehow they managed to falter at the finish line. With one of the best versatile bowling attacks in the competition, ably supported with an equally explosive batting line up, it becomes difficult to understand why they are unable to win anything major. Their supporters will pray 2015 changes it all for them and the “choker” name will be erased once and for all. They certainly have the players to do it but a lot will depend on how well they perform as a team in the conditions available to them Down Under.

While we have discussed the “big boys” let us move on to the ones that are participating with the aspiration of creating some upsets and sneaking into the quarterfinal stage. Bangladesh is one such team. While Bangladesh has had a dismal 2014 in all formats of the game, they did finish the

year winning all their encounters against Zimbabwe at home.

Nothing pleases the Bangladesh fan more than a win, regardless of the opposition, so all eyes will be on the team in this World Cup. Bangladesh’s first and foremost hurdle to cross will be their two matches against Afghanistan and Scotland. The Afghans will have already targeted Bangladesh as the team to beat so the pressure will be on Bangladesh. With the new fielding rules in place, scores of 250 is no longer safe so Bangladesh will need to get a score of 275 plus to give the bowlers the chance to restrict the opposition or bowl them out. The Bangladesh attack is more spin reliant than seam and, unless they find a spinner friendly wicket, the attack will be fairly innocuous, especially at this level.

If Bangladesh plans on moving into the quarterfinals, they have to win four matches to guarantee the passage. This would be a tall order because Bangladesh, apart from the two must wins against Afghanistan and Scotland, have to beat at least two of the four “big boys” that are in the group, namely Australia, England, New Zealand and Sri Lanka.

Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, Scotland, Ireland and the UAE are there to fill the fixtures and I really cannot imagine any of them beating another full member.

However, they will have their own points to prove by targeting the teams within their ranks.

An important reality to consider is the fact that the competition is a limited-over one and there are several factors involved that will determine a team’s win or loss.

The pitch condition, the toss, the mind frame of the players and the ability to plan the match in the shorter version all make this whole competition an exciting one. So, it becomes significantly important how that team performs in the middle on a given day. That’s

why every single team in the competition can realistically aspire to beat any opposition regardless of the seeding. We have seen this happen in the past. Bangladesh managed to beat England, India, South Africa and Pakistan in various World Cup matches; Kenya beat the West Indies once and, along with Canada, also beat Bangladesh. This statistical fact should give adequate food for thought and provide them with a belief that their team can come up with an upset victory against a higher-ranked team.

In 1992 and 1996 there were two new winners both that came from nowhere. In 1992, Pakistan struggled throughout the initial phase and barely scraped through into the final stages. After beating New Zealand in a come-frombehind victory in the semi-final, they beat England against all odds to win its only title. Again in 1996, no one could even think of Sri Lanka taking the trophy home.

Yet, they beat India in the semis and Australia in the final with the magnificent Aravinda De Sliva taking his team to the top of the pedestal with an inspiring century.

Sri Lanka, like the West Indian sides of the 70s and 80s, and India has been quite consistent having reached three finals while Australia has not only won it the most times (four in all) but also appeared in the most finals, six in all. The team that has missed out on several occasions has been England in spite of having the players to prove otherwise. This scenario clearly puts the Australians head and shoulders above the others as they have demonstrated over a considerable period of time. The 2015 competition will also provide for a strong Aussie showing; however, the cricketing world should be mentally prepared for a new winner with the Black Caps in hot pursuit. This thought of mine could become a reality.

Dhaka Tribune | Through The Covers | Saturday, February 14, 2015

5

FLASHBACK

THE MAN WHO STARTED IT ALL Raihan Mahmood

W

hen motivation meets passion, the ultimate success is achieved. A motivated and passionate player often produces the goods when the going gets tough.

A single push from a particularly motivated player often inspires the team to perform heroics when it is least expected.

This is the story of one such motivated and passionate cricketer, Minhajul Abedin Nannu, who orchestrated Bangladesh’s maiden World Cup victory, against Scotland, on May 24, 1999, in Edinburgh.

With Bangladesh reduced to a precarious 26/5, a saviour was the demand of the time. It was Nannu who raised his hands on the occasion. The right-handed batsman had to show his worth and silence the critics, who criticised his last-minute inclusion in the World Cup squad.

Nannu did it in some style, curving out his first one-day international fifty in the process. A slice of history was created as the elegant batsman etched his name in the record books.

While going down the memory lane with Dhaka Tribune, Nannu went nostalgic while recalling the memories of the Tigers’ first World Cup win.

“At that time, Bangladesh were the newcomers in world cricket. We were inexperienced. To be frank, we only targeted Scotland as they were close to us in the rankings. The plan was made a year before the match against the Scots.

We slowly sowed the seeds of attaining our target.”

Nannu’s greatness was demonstrated by the fact that he missed the pre-World Cup tour of Ireland and Scotland due to injury and was totally unfamiliar with the conditions.

“It was a green pitch, full of grass.

The movement and bounce was hard to

6

deal with. I remember the net sessions where the pitch was flat and batting friendly. But, the match pitch was a totally different one. They (Scotland) wanted to exploit the weaknesses of Bangladesh. Losing the toss and being asked to bat first was a shock for us.”

Nannu, arguably one of Bangladesh’s finest batsmen ever, shared the preptalk that he had with himself.

“Alright Nannu. Here you go. The time has arrived. You have to repay the people who sent you to the World Cup. If not now then never. The temperature was 5-degree Celsius. It was chilly and losing five wickets for 26 runs made the scenario worse.

“I thought of staying at the middle as long as possible. [Naimur Rahman] Durjoy stepped up to the plate and we shared a 69-run partnership for the sixth wicket. The recovery was half-done. The departure of Durjoy though made me nervous but I decided to carry on.”

The 49-year old shared a timeless experience of the bat that made him

Dhaka Tribune | Through The Covers | Saturday, February 14, 2015

famous.

“The bat was a special one. I played in England in 1995-96. Among the Bangladeshi community, there was a friend of mine named Badshah Kadir.

On the morning of the match against Scotland, he came to meet me and brought along a bat that I had given him previously. I grabbed the bat and decided I would take the field with this.

It was a Slazenger. I had to put a Shah Sports sticker on it as they were our sponsor. I made an unbeaten 68 off 116 balls hitting six boundaries. At the end, the total of 185 was a satisfying one because it can be compared to a 250+ score in another good batting track.”

After posting 185 on the board, Nannu said the whole situation changed drastically. Nannu said the whole Bangladesh camp was reinvigorated, although there were still some nervy times.

“We were determined to unsettle them with early wickets, especially in the first 10 overs. We did exactly that,

reducing them to 49/5. I also took a wicket but still, the Scottish tower named Gavin Hamilton was there. He was a class act. I was impressed with the shots he was playing. We were worried with the way Hamilton was going. He scored 63 off 71 balls but he departed after being run out. And, we started to sniff the sweet scent of victory. We made it at last winning by 22 runs.”

Nannu went on to explain the incredible feeling of tasting a World Cup victory.

“The atmosphere was unbelievable.

Hundreds of Bangladeshis entered the field to congratulate us. Bangladesh had won a World Cup match. It was a big deal.”

The former national skipper signed off hoping for the best from the current generation.

“I hope Bangladesh will show the perfect team spirit, commitment and hard work. I am hopeful that they will exhibit perfect teamwork and achieve success in the World Cup again.”

FLASHBACK

The forgotten man Mazhar Uddin

T

he 2015 ICC World Cup could have been the fourth appearance in the mega event for the most gifted Bangladesh batsman ever known. However, an ugly involvement in match-fixing put paid to all of those hopes for Mohammad Ashraful.

The big-hitting right-hander was part of the Tigers’ World Cup squads in 2003, 2007 and 2011. The 30-year old was a vital cog in Bangladesh’s memorable campaign in the 2007 ICC World Cup in the West Indies where the Tigers reached the second round – the Super Eights – for the first and only time.

In total, Ashraful has played 16 World Cup games in which he has scored 299 runs at an average of 24.91, including two fifties. His match-winning 87 against South Africa in the Caribbean remains the highest individual score by a Bangladesh batsman in the World Cup. Despite his absence Down Under, Ashraful never stops following the sport he dearly loves. And with the World Cup knocking at the door, he shared his viewpoints and predictions with Dhaka Tribune.

Veteran Bangladesh quartet I think Mashrafe bin Mortaza, Tamim Iqbal,

Shakib al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim will play a vital role for Bangladesh in this World Cup as they are the most experienced and tested cricketers of the side. But, apart from the senior players, I think it is a great opportunity for the young cricketers to establish their place in the side.

ASHRAFUL IN WORLD CUPS 2003 Batting/Bowling Opp

Ground

0, DNB

SL

Player to watch – Mahmudullah, emerging superstar – Sabbir Rahman I think Mahmudullah will be the player to watch for Bangladesh in this World Cup as he has been consistent in the warm-up matches. On the other hand, Sabbir will be a player to watch and I guess he will emerge as the new superstar of Bangladesh after the tournament.

8*, DNB

WI

Benoni

6, DNB

SA

Bloemfontein

45*, DNB

SL

Port of Spain

Favourite World Cup memory Blasting 87 against South Africa in the West Indies and the win over India in the same tournament.

29*, DNB

Bermuda

Port of Spain

6, DNB

Australia

North Sound

3, 7/0

NZ

North Sound

SA

Providence

Close friends outside Bangladesh West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo and Pakistan cricketer Shahid Afridi.

1, DNB

England

Bridgetown

35, DNB

Ireland

Bridgetown

2, DNB

WI

Bridgetown

1, 42/2

Ireland

Dhaka

11,11/0

WI

Dhaka

Most enjoyable World Cup memory After the 2007 World Cup, we spent four days in Barbados where all the cricketers had fun. It was my most enjoyable World Cup moment.

Pietermaritzburg

56, 3/0

NZ

Kimberley

1, 30/0

Kenya

Johannesburg

India

Port of Spain

2007 8*, DNB

87, DNB

2011

Dhaka Tribune | Through The Covers | Saturday, February 14, 2015

7

SQUADS

POOL- A EDITION

AFGHANISTAN

AUSTRALIA

BANGLADESH

ENGLAND

NEW ZEALAND

SCOTLAND

SRI LANKA

1975

DNP

Runners Up

DNP

Semifinals

Semifinals

DNP

Group Stage

1979

DNP

Group Stage

DNP

Runners Up

Semifinals

DNP

Group Stage

1983

DNP

Group Stage

DNP

Semifinals

Group Stage

DNP

Group Stage

1987 DNP Champions

DNP

Runners Up

Group Stage

DNP

Group Stage

1992

DNP

Group Stage

DNP

Runners Up

Semifinals

DNP

Group Stage

1996

DNP

Runners Up

DNP

Quarterfinals

Quarterfinals

DNP

Champions

1999 DNP Champions

Group Stage

Group Stage

Semifinals

Group Stage

Group Stage

2003 DNP Champions

Group Stage

Group Stage

Super Six

DNP

Semifinals

2007 DNP Champions

Super Eights

Super Eights

Semifinals

Group Stage

Runners Up

DNP

Group Stage

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

DNP

Runners Up

2011

Quarterfinals

BANGLADESH

8

MASHRAFE MORTAZA (C)

SHAKIB AL HASAN

TAMIM IQBAL

MUSHFIQUR RAHIM (WK)

MAHMUDULLAH

MOMINUL HAQUE

NASIR HOSSAIN

ANAMUL HAQUE

SOUMYA SARKAR

TASKIN AHMED

AL-AMIN HOSSAIN

RUBEL HOSSAIN

SABBIR RAHMAN

TAIJUL ISLAM

ARAFAT SUNNY

CHANDIKA HATHURUSINGHA

Dhaka Tribune | Through The Covers | Saturday, February 14, 2015

SQUADS AFGHANISTAN MOHAMMAD NABI (C)

NAWROZ MANGAL

NAJIBULLAH ZADRAN

SAMIULLAH SHINWARI

MIRWAIS ASHRAF

NASIR JAMAL

GULBADIN NAIB

HAMID HASAN

SHAPOOR ZADRAN

DAWLAT ZADRAN

AFTAB ALAM

JAVED AHMADI

USMAN GHANI

ASGHAR STANIKZAI

AFSAR ZAZAI (WK)

ANDY MOLES

AUSTRALIA MICHAEL CLARKE (C)

GEORGE BAILEY

DAVID WARNER

AARON FINCH

SHANE WATSON

BRAD HADDIN (WK)

MITCHELL MARSH

MITCHELL JOHNSON

MITCHELL STARC

JOSH HAZLEWOOD

STEVE SMITH

GLENN MAXWELL

PATRICK CUMMINS

XAVIER DOHERTY

JAMES FAULKNER

DARREN LEHMANN

Dhaka Tribune | Through The Covers | Saturday, February 14, 2015

9

SQUADS ENGLAND EOIN MORGAN (C)

JAMES ANDERSON

STUART BROAD

IAN BELL

RAVI BOPARA

MOEEN ALI

GARY BALLANCE

JOS BUTTLER (WK)

STEVEN FINN

ALEX HALES

CHRIS JORDAN

JOE ROOT

JAMES TAYLOR

JAMES TREDWELL

CHRIS WOAKES

PETER MOORES

NEW ZEALAND

10

BRENDON MCCULLUM (C)

ROSS TAYLOR

MARTIN GUPTILL

LUKE RONCHI (WK)

COREY ANDERSON

KANE WILLIAMSON

TIM SOUTHEE

ADAM MILNE

KYLE MILLS

MITCHELL MCCLENAGHAN

NATHAN MCCULLUM

DANIEL VETTORI

GRANT ELLIOTT

TRENT BOULT

TOM LATHAM

MIKE HESSON

Dhaka Tribune | Through The Covers | Saturday, February 14, 2015

SQUADS SCOTLAND PRESTON MOMMSEN (C)

KYLE COETZER (VC)

RICHIE BERRINGTON

FREDDIE COLEMAN

MATTHEW CROSS (WK)

JOSHHUA DAVEY

ALASDAIR EVANS

HAMISH GARDINER

MAJID HAQ

MICHAEL LEASK

MATT MACHAN

CALLUM MACLEOD

SAFYAAN SHARIF

ROBERT TAYLOR

IAIN WARDLAW

GRANT BRADBURN

SRI LANKA ANGELO MATHEWS (C)

LAHIRU THIRIMANNE

MAHELA JAYAWARDENE

KUMAR SANGAKKARA (WK)

TILLAKARATNE DILSHAN

DINESH CHANDIMAL (WK)

SURANGA LAKMAL

LASITH MALINGA

DUSHMANTHA CHAMEERA

NUWAN KULASEKARA

JEEVAN MENDIS

THISARA PERERA

SACHITHRA SENANAYAKE

RANGANA HERATH

DIMUTH KARUNARATNE

MARVAN ATAPATTU

Dhaka Tribune | Through The Covers | Saturday, February 14, 2015

11

SQUADS

POOL- B EDITION

INDIA

IRELAND

PAKISTAN

SOUTH AFRICA

UAE

WEST INDIES

ZIMBABWE

1975

Group Stage

DNP

Group Stage

DNP

DNP

Champions DNP

1979

Group Stage

DNP

Semifinals

DNP

DNP

Champions DNP

1983

Champions

DNP

Semifinals

DNP

DNP

Runners-up

Group Stage

1987

Semifinals

DNP

Semifinals

DNP

DNP

Group Stage

Group Stage

1992

Group Stage

DNP

Champions

Semifinals

DNP

Group Stage

Group Stage

1996

Semifinals

DNP

Quarterfinals

Quarterfinals

Group Stage

Semifinals

Group Stage

1999

Super Six

DNP

Runners Up

Semifinals

DNP

Group Stage

Super Six

2003

Runners Up

DNP

Group Stage

Group Stage

DNP

Group Stage

Super Six

2007

Group Stage

Super Eights

Group Stage

Semifinals

DNP

Super Eights

Group Stage

2011

Champions

Group Stage

Semifinals

Quarterfinals

DNP

Quarterfinals

Group Stage

INDIA

14

MS DHONI (C & WK)

VIRAT KOHLI

SURESH RAINA

AJINKYA RAHANE

ROHIT SHARMA

SHIKHAR DHAWAN

RAVINDRA JADEJA

RAVICHANDRAN ASHWIN

MOHIT SHARMA

UMESH YADAV

MOHAMMED SHAMI

BHUVNESHWAR KUMAR

AMBATI RAYUDU

STUART BINNY

AKSHAR PATEL

DUNCAN FLETCHER

Dhaka Tribune | Through The Covers | Saturday, February 14, 2015

SQUADS IRELAND WILLIAM PORTERFIELD (C)

ANDREW BALBIRNIE

PETER CHASE

ALEX CUSACK

GEORGE DOCKRELL

EDMUND JOYCE

ANDREW MCBRINE

JOHN MOONEY

MAX SORENSEN

STUART THOMPSON

NIALL O’BRIEN (WK)

KEVIN O’BRIEN

CRAIG YOUNG

GARY WILSON (WK)

PAUL STIRLING

PHIL SIMMONS

PAKISTAN MISBAH-UL HAQ (C)

SHAHID AFRIDI

YOUNIS KHAN

AHMED SHEHZAD

UMAR AKMAL

NASIR JAMSHED

RAHAT ALI

MOHAMMAD IRFAN

WAHAB RIAZ

EHSAN ADIL

SARFRAZ AHMED (WK)

SOHAIB MAQSOOD

HARIS SOHAIL

YASIR SHAH

SOHAIL KHAN

WAQAR YOUNIS

Dhaka Tribune | Through The Covers | Saturday, February 14, 2015

15

SQUADS SOUTH AFRICA AB DE VILLIERS (C & WK)

HASHIM AMLA

JP DUMINY

FAF DU PLESSIS

DAVID MILLER

RILEE ROSSOUW

IMRAN TAHIR

DALE STEYN

MORNE MORKEL

WAYNE PARNELL

QUINTON DE KOCK (WK)

FARHAAN BEHARDIEN

VERNON PHILANDER

AARON PHANGISO

KYLE ABBOTT

RUSSELL DOMINGO

UAE

16

MOHAMMED TAUQIR (C)

KHURRAM KHAN

SWAPNIL PATIL

SHAIMAN ANWAR

ANDRI BERENGER

AMJAD JAVED

NASIR AZIZ

MUHAMMAD NAVEED

KAMRAN SHAZAD

SAQLAIN HAIDER

KRISHNA KARATE

MANJULA GURUGE

AMJAD ALI

FAHAD AL HASHMI

ROHAN MUSTAFA

AAQIB JAVED

Dhaka Tribune | Through The Covers | Saturday, February 14, 2015

SQUADS WEST INDIES ASON HOLDER (C)

CHRIS GAYLE

DWAYNE SMITH

DARREN BRAVO

MARLON SAMUELS

DENESH RAMDIN (WK)

NIKITA MILLER

KEMAR ROACH

SULIEMAN BENN

JONATHAN CARTER

DARREN SAMMY

LENDL SIMMONS

JEROME TAYLOR

SHELDON COTTRELL

ANDRE RUSSELL

RICHIE RICHARDSON

ZIMBABWE ELTON CHIGUMBURA (C)

SIKANDAR RAZA

REGIS CHAKABVA (WK)

CHAMU CHIBHABHA

HAMILTON MASAKADZA

CRAIG ERVINE

TENDAI CHATARA

TAFADZWA KAMUNGOZI

TAWANDA MUPARIWA

STUART MATSIKENYERI

TINASHE PANYANGARA

SOLOMON MIRE

BRENDAN TAYLOR (WK)

PROSPER UTSEYA

SEAN WILLIAMS

DAV WHATMORE

Dhaka Tribune | Through The Covers | Saturday, February 14, 2015

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BEST PICKS Bangladesh’s 2011 World Cup opening batsman Imrul Kayes picks his top 5 batsmen All the players that I have chosen have common characteristics – they are never worried of the condition, situation or the opposition. There have been many occasions when these players have delivered for their team at crucial moments, fetched wins and frustrated their counterparts. South Africa captain AB [de Villiers] tops my list of batsmen and given the tremendous form he is in now, he can set the stage on fire. The Proteas captain recently made the fastest fifty, fastest hundred in a world-record 149 off 44 balls against the West Indies and he could not have come to the World Cup in better form.

AB DE VILLIERS (SA)

SANGAKKARA (SL)

HASHIM AMLA (SA)

VIRAT KOHLI (INDIA)

AARON FINCH (AUS)

Bangladesh’s 2011 World Cup fast bowler Nazmul Hossain selects his top 5 bowlers My selection of Shakib might look odd given that this World Cup is expected to be a hunting ground for the pacers.

But, one has to consider the fact that Shakib will bowl 10 overs for Bangladesh and will play a vital role with the ball as always. The other bowlers, all quickies, in my list will be effective but their burden of responsibility will never be the same as spinner Shakib.

M JOHNSON (AUS)

DALE STEYN (SA)

MD IRFAN (PAK)

SHAKIB (BAN)

TIM SOUTHEE (NZ)

Former Bangladesh opener Nafees Iqbal picks his top 5 all-rounders I believe this World Cup will be ruled by the pacers and that is the reason why four out of five of my selected allrounders are seamer-allrounders, and mind you they are all in good form. Shakib, however, is a default choice given that he is currently the top all-rounder not only in ODIs but in the other two formats of the game. Only time will tell how he copes with the challenge of being a spinner in the Australian-New Zealand condition.

J FAULKNER (AUS)

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A MATHEWS (SL)

Dhaka Tribune | Through The Covers | Saturday, February 14, 2015

C ANDERSON (NZ)

SHAKIB (BAN)

S WATSON (AUS)

KEY PLAYERS

THE 3 MUSKETEERS Regarded as one of Bangladesh’s finest batsman of his generation, Raqibul Hasan, also the country’s first skipper, has witnessed closely the Tigers’ previous four World Cup campaigns. With Bangladesh’s fifth World Cup appearance just around the corner, the 62-year old picked three cricketers who he thinks will shine for the Tigers in Australia and New Zealand.

Shakib al Hasan Playing role : All-rounder Batting style : Left-hand bat Bowling style : Slow left-arm orthodox “Shakib’s record speaks for himself. It’s good that he came back with the bat in the Pakistan game with 30-odd runs with a run-a-ball strike rate. And as a bowler, he will be respected by every opponent that will face Bangladesh. I believe he knows very well how to exploit the opponent batsmen and I think he is also aware of their weaknesses.

Given the condition in Australia and New Zealand, it should be challenging for spinners but Shakib has done well in the practice matches. Let us hope for the best.”

Tamim Iqbal Playing role Batting style

: Opening batsman : Left-hand bat

“Tamim is one of Bangladesh’s most experienced batsmen and he has proved it many times. He has the ability to give his side the right kind of start and take the battle into the opponents’ camp from the very beginning. He had a very good take-off with his World Cup preparation, coming from injury. He was in form prior to his injury and hopefully he will carry his form into the tournament. The wickets in Australia and New Zealand will be suited for him because it will not be as bouncier as a lot of people are predicting. The wickets are late drop-ins and the bounces are spongy – he will have a great time going for his shots.”

Mahmudullah Playing role : All-rounder Batting style : Right-hand bat Bowling style : Right-arm offbreak “I find Mahmudullah to be the only consistent batsman in the team. He has gone through a bad patch. However, Mahmudullah is a strong guy. He plays good square of the wicket. His added advantage is that he is an off-spinner.

Historically, the wickets in Australia favour the off-spinners and this time he will come across lots of left-handed batsmen in the opposition teams. Given his current form with the ball, I feel he will be able to make a dent in the opponents’ camp and make a mark for himself.”

Dhaka Tribune | Through The Covers | Saturday, February 14, 2015

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MISSING

The stars that will not glow It is a dream for any cricketer to feature in a World Cup, the biggest cricket event of them all. Similarly, the pain of missing out on any World Cup campaign is heartbreaking and second to none.

Injury or loss of form or otherwise, the 2015 ICC World Cup is no different than the previous editions in that many decorated cricketers will be sitting out the grand event. Here, Mazhar Uddin writes about some of the marquee names that will be missing the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

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YUVRAJ SINGH (INDIA)

KIERON POLLARD (WI)

Man-of-the-series in the 2011 World Cup, Yuvraj was India’s hero in the previous Cup-winning edition. Hence, he is one of the biggest stars who will be missing out this time around. The stylish left-hander was not even picked in the 30-member World Cup preliminary squad which came as a surprise to many. His recent run of poor form might have forced the selectors to pick Akshar Patel instead.

One of the most shocking and surprising names that will be missing the 2015 World Cup. The tall right-hander has the ability to turn the game around in the blink of an eye while he is also handy with his slow medium-pacers. Also an electric fielder, Pollard’s huge presence will be sorely missed.

KEVIN PIETERSEN (ENG)

ABDUR RAZZAK (BAN)

Probably the most dominating and explosive cricketer of the modern era, the past year has been tough for the controversial cricketer. A poor average of 29.40 during the Ashes Down Under was enough for the selectors to axe the hard-hitting batsman. Pietersen, who made his last appearance for England back in September 2013, however, has been playing brilliant cricket in the overseas leagues around the world, especially the Big Bash.

The veteran 32-year old left-arm spinner had to make way after a poor outing recently cost him a place in the World Cup with the selectors opting for fresh blood. However, Razzak, with his economical spells, will be missed dearly by the Tigers in the global event.

SAEED AJMAL (PAK)

AJANTHA MENDIS (SL)

The story of Ajmal is perhaps the most tragical of the World Cup. Had it not been for a suspected bowling action, Ajmal would surely have been the Hercules for Pakistan. Baffled with fitness issues, Ajmal’s omission could stretch the Cup further away from the Green Shirts. Always a lethal force to reckon with, Ajmal has been re-structuring his action ever since English umpire Ian Gould brought his action under the microscope.

The maestro that gave us the mystery “Carrom Ball”. Best remembered for tormenting the Indian side on debut. He might not be as effective as he was before, he still remains a lethal force in the shorter formats where the batsmen do not get much time to adjust to his variations. He is one of the six players who were overlooked by the islanders for the World Cup. This cut might eventually bring the curtains down on his illustrious yet up-and-down career.

DWAYNE BRAVO (WI)

ALASTAIR COOK (ENG)

West Indies will be without their most celebrated all-rounder in Bravo. Adept in all the three departments – batting, bowling and fielding – Bravo was punished by the West Indian cricket board for his role in India last year when he led the visitors’ boycott of the tour due to a payment dispute. Bravo had to bore the brunt of the WICB’s wrath. Bravo was replaced by young tearaway paceman Jason Holder who will be captaining the side.

2014 was not the best of years for Cook. The former England captain only managed 523 runs in 20 matches at a mediocre average of 27.52.

To add insult to his injury, back-to-back defeats against India and Sri Lanka cut loose his captaincy arm-band. He was overlooked altogether for the World Cup, in favour of the young and charismatic Dubliner, Eoin Morgan.

Dhaka Tribune | Through The Covers | Saturday, February 14, 2015

ICC WORLD CUP 2015 VENUES

Brace yourself for you might just see...

SOUTH AFRICA OR INDIA SCORE 500!

ANOTHER HAT-TRICK FOR MALINGA

Both nations have previously registered a total over 400 in ODIs, a score that once was beyond imaginable. Don’t be surprised if they break the shackles and reach the 500-run mark, given they bat first against the minnows UAE.

Malinga’s yorkers can be difficult to get away and if the batsmen representing the Associates fail to pick up his action, a hat-trick might not be too far away for the sling-action bowler. Beware Scots!

MISBAH’S MAIDEN 100

PAKISTAN WIN AGAINST INDIA

Misbah has played 142 ODIs and has 4772 runs, but no century! This is well and truly the Pakistani captain’s last World Cup and the 40-year-old might have saved the best for the last.

The bitter rivals had the honour of meeting each other five times at the big stage. Each and every single time, India came out victorious. Pakistan will be desperate to break the voodoo when the two teams face each other this Sunday

AFRIDI RETAINING HIS RECORD

ANOTHER 200 FROM ROHIT

Afridi’s 37-ball hundred stood for close to two decades since New Zealand’s Corey Anderson broke it last year. AB de Villiers made the record his own last month and Afridi recently expressed hope of reclaiming it. Who else can he target but UAE?

The Indian has two ODI double-hundreds to his name, more than anyone. He smashed 150+ in the warm-up game against Afghanistan few days back and brace yourself for he is definitely eyeing another double in the most prestigious cricket event

Dhaka Tribune | Through The Covers | Saturday, February 14, 2015

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FAREWELL

For the last time in World Cup DANGEROUS DILSHAN (SL)

CHARISMATIC CLARKE (AUS)

The Australian skipper’s concerns with injury have dealt a major blow to his career. The 33-year old has not played a single game after picking up a hamstring injury during the first Test against India last December.

This forced Clarke out for the rest of the series against the sub-continental giants as his chronic back problem continued to flare up at the wrong moments and left him hamstrung. The issues even led to him saying “I may never play again”. However, Clarke got selected for the World Cup squad on the condition that he has to prove his fitness by February 21 in Australia’s second game, against Bangladesh.

The 38-year old Sri Lanka all-rounder is very much likely to appear for the last time in the World Cup. But the experts believe he is calling it a day quite early as his willow is still producing runs and is giving his the team the starts they need. The Lankans reached the final in the last two editions but disappointed the supporters on both the occasions.

MARVELOUS MAHELA (SL)

His valiant efforts took Sri Lanka to the final in the previous two World Cups, where they lost to Australia and India respectively.

This edition will be the last for the 37-year old Jayawardene given that he has already hinted of retirement after the mega event comes to an end.

Will want to emulate Arjuna Ranatunga who inspired the Lankans to their title win in 1996.

BOOM BOOM AFRIDI (PAK)

Shahid “Boom Boom” Afridi, the most followed Pakistan cricketer, will appear in the green outfit for the fifth time in a World Cup. His bighitting abilities will certainly aid his side but concerns over his batting in recent times remain. He will always be remembered for his mind-boggling 37-ball hundred, which stood as an ODI record for 18 years. The 34-year old, who led a depleted Pakistan to the semifinals of the last World Cup before losing to India in Mohali, will aim to repeat the 1992 glory and retire as a World Cup winner.

SPEC-TACULAR VETTORI (NZ) The former New Zealand captain is the country’s mostcapped one-day international cricketer.

Although the Kiwi veteran wanted to call time on his career, the 36-year old wanted to give himself another opportunity to guide New Zealand to their maiden World Cup title with the tournament being hosted at home.

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DYNAMIC DHONI (INDIA)

The Indian captain rattled the cricket world with his shocking retirement from Tests following the drawn third Test against Australia in Melbourne, just weeks away from the World Cup. The 2011 trophy-winning captain will definitely aim for another title win in 2015 and may bid adieu to the limited-overs cricket too. One of India’s greatest ODI captains under whose leadership India became the No. 1 team in Tests and ODIs, Dhoni has 8245 runs in 253 ODIs at an average of 52.51.

SCINTILLATING SANGA (SL)

The highest ODI run-scorer in 2014 with 1256 runs from 28 innings, Sangakkara is the third Lankan in line after Dilshan and Jayawardene to hang up his ODI boots after cricket’s quadrennial event. Sangakkara, who has 13580 runs in 396 ODIs, is the all time No. 3 run-getter in ODIs after Sachin Tendulkar (18426 runs in 463 ODIs) and Australian great Ricky Ponting (13704 in 375 ODIs). The southpaw needs just 124 runs to surpass Ponting in the list.

Dhaka Tribune | Through The Covers | Saturday, February 14, 2015

MALINGA SLINGA (SL)

Despite his niggling ankle injury, the Lankan speedster got picked for the World Cup squad. Malinga underwent surgery last September and is still going through a period of rehabilitation. He played his last one-day international in August 2014 against Pakistan and since then has been out of action. The 31-year old’s injury may put a question mark on his limitedovers career and might also force him to retire.

TUK-TUK MISBAH AND YOUTHFUL YOUNIS (PAK)

The veteran Pakistan duo has already confirmed that they will be signing off from ODIs after the World Cup which means that Pakistan are on the verge of losing two of their stalwarts.

1

This will be the first 50-over World Cup for Afghanistan

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2

Australia and New Zealand are co-hosting the mega event for the second time. The first being in 1992

23 2

Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar, for the second consecutive time, has been named as theWorld Cup ambassador by the ICC

Number of games New Zealand will host

26 49

Number of games Australia will host

Total 49 matches will be played in this World Cup

10

ICC declared a total prize money pool of $10m in the tournament

This is the 11th edition of the cricket World Cup

Number of participating nations and venues to be used

11

400

More than 400 accredited players and officials taking part

WORLD CUP IN NUMBERS