Mushfiqur battles for historic prize

When Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusingha said that he valued Tamim Iqbal's nine runs as highly as a half-century, one wondered how much he would award Mushfiqur Rahim for his back-to-the-wall 39. As arguably Bangladesh's most consistent batsman in the fourth innings, he kept dragging the chase to a point where now, at the fortified Radisson hotel, both sets of players are going to have a nervous night of sleep.

Bedraggled can be a way to describe this Test match, and Bangladesh's batting has not been exactly convincing in both innings. But when Mushfiqur has moved behind the ball to defend, drive, pull or leave, he has been most assuring.

Hathurusingha's comment about Tamim's innings intended to convey how valuable a good opening partnership was to Bangladesh's 286-run chase on such a difficult pitch for the batsmen. Tamim and Imrul Kayes added 35 runs, which ended up being the highest among the opening stands in the four innings. While Tamim was uncharacteristically docile, Imrul, Mominul Haque, Mahmudullah and Shakib Al Hasan batted with more intent, although three of those fell while playing across the line.

But Mushfiqur was an unbending presence during his 168-minute stay. With his side perilously placed at 108 for 4, there was a lot happening around him with England appealing dramatically almost at every opportunity, dust flying everywhere and fielders nearly colliding as they attempted to catch the ball off the bat that he pushed down in defence. But, like he has often done when the pressure is at its highest, he disengaged himself from his surroundings. Almost a monk-like presence took over every time he crouched down to face the next delivery.

There was stark contrast between Mushfiqur's concentration and Shakib's mad blowout in the first innings. Bangladesh gave away a 45-run lead in part because Shakib got out at a point when they had the best chance to get closer to England. They remain in less comfort because of that shot but Mushfiqur lessened the pain.

Mushfiqur is known as the hardest working cricketer in the land, and of late it has perhaps worn him down, but on days like this the benefit of all that time spent in the nets was evident.

Muscle memory is one of the advantages that training gives a player, and in his case there was hardly a beat that he missed as pace and spin was hurled towards him. He was astute in defence and knew exactly when to find the single that got him off strike. His boundaries came through mid-on and third man at a time when he had played more than 35 deliveries, and a hammered pull off Stuart Broad came more than 19 overs later, when he had built up a rhythm in his 87-run sixth wicket stand with Sabbir Rahman.

What also mattered during this tricky chase was Mushfiqur's efficiency in the fourth innings, a usual time for a Bangladesh effort to wilt under the weight of a massive target. He averages 40.23 in 14 innings, which includes 101 against India and 95 against England at this venue in the fourth innings. In terms of time spent at the crease at this stage of a game, this 39 against England has been his second longest stay.

Mushfiqur was also at the crease when Bangladesh beat Zimbabwe in the mad 101 chase in Dhaka two years ago. He made an unbeaten 23 in 93 minutes, a fine riposte in his first game after being removed as the limited overs captain.

Gareth Batty and the wearing Chittagong wicket combined to produce the only delivery that was going to remove Mushfiqur from the chase, but Bangladesh still have a chance of an historic win and that was because Mushfiqur got into his zone when under the most intense pressure.

The crowd in Chittagong was quiet when he had walked in to bat as Mahmudullah's dismissal, with another 178 runs left in the chase, was seen as a big blow. When Mushfiqur walked off, the silence turned mostly into an emotional exit.

It is hard to avoid thinking about the night in Bangalore earlier this year when his dismissal started one of the cruellest slides ever conjured in an international match. But what a century couldn't achieve, if Bangladesh end up beating England, perhaps this 39 will have lasting significance?