"Cricket is a dangerous game", said Tamim Iqbal at the post day4 press-meet on Friday evening. The contextual implication of his statement was reassured by Pakistan batsman Asad Shafiq just minutes before Tamim had entered the conference room. After two days of dominance, and perfect "execution of plans" from Pakistan both in the field and with the bat, the 'dangerous game' surfaced itself on day 4 of the 1st Test between number 9 ranked Bangladesh and number 4 ranked Pakistan.
There were no demons in the pitch which was as flat as a pancake. The bounce was low, the outfield slow. The heat of the summer drained out the players each day. For a Test match played between even oppositions, such situations ask for tactically outsmarting the opponent and executing those tactics well.
The broader line revealed Khulna as a batting paradise, if the batters bat well that is. Bangladesh batted well on day 1, but the extra bit of caution was always there, reflected in the 2.58 runs per over on day 1. Yes, it was a slow and low pitch as predicted: but with eight batsmen in the line-up, the mental approach might have been where the Tigers lost impetence. The visitors bowled really well on day 1, but just being disciplined.
Come day 2, and the Tigers suddenly overdid and overcompensated for the slowness of the run-rate: and paid the price for it. Pakistan's persistence with the plan of 'discipline' was enough to get Bangladesh all out at 332 within 4 sessions. Mominul Haque, top scorer for Bangladesh in their first innings with 80 had said after day 1, "in this pitch you cannot force your runs. It is very difficult to score. If you want to force it, you will only give away your wicket". His words were rendered true, at least until Pakistan came out to bat for their first.
Hafeez was the mainstay of Paksitan's 'tactical' victory over Bangladesh on days 2 and 3. He began to score runs, sometimes forcing a few shots, looking more naturally comfortable rather than showing voluntary caution that was expected. And he succeeded. Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh's highest wicket taker in Test cricket, conceded at more than 4 and a half runs per over as Hafeez went after him right away, never letting him settle down, and in the process, demoralizing the Bangladesh bowling unit as a whole. Hafeez's plan of 'attacking Bangladesh's vital key' was working. Azhar Ali, Misbah, Asad Shafiq, Sarfraz and Younis followed on his footsteps and did the same. Pakistan managed 628 at 3.72 per over. The Tigers trailed by 296, clearly on the back foot, defeated not by the skills of the Pakistan batsmen, not by the pitch or conditions, but simply in the 'tactical' battle. The visitors could sniff a victory on a docile Khulna wicket.
Tamim Iqbal virtually took over the captain's armband since Mushfiqur went off the field at the final hours of day 2. Tamim had a rough time on day 3, toiling in the heat trying to get break-throughs, planning out field-settings, and observing the fluid aggressive approach of the Pakistan batsmen.
As Bangladesh took the field for their second innings, having to bat for 5 clean sessions to save the match, somewhere in the Bangladesh camp, and especially in the minds of the Bangladesh openers Imrul Kayes and Tamim, 'fluid, positive batting' and 'unsettling the opponent's best weapons' that Pakistan did had been working.
Shattering record after record, both for Bangladesh and also in the all-time partnership list, Tamim and Imrul displayed the 'perfect execution of a plan' and within two sessions, brought back the Tigers into the game. The most satisfying for a cricket-neutral though, would be how Bangladesh have come of age in Test cricket and are able to learn quickly from mistakes, and the best part, take a leaf from the opponent's plans and use it to get back to equilibrium from distress.
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