Triumph of salvation in the game of glorious uncertainty

Cricket is called the game of glorious uncertainty neither for its speed or boisterous dramas. Rather it is called so because it paves the way for some seemingly impossible things like a player or a pair of players reviving the fate of the game or someone who is least expected, showcasing wonders. Those wonders create spectacular memories and uncertainties.  

The second day of the ongoing Test match between Zimbabwe and visiting Bangladesh saw such a pleasant spectacle, indeed a heist from the hosts’ point of view, as Mahmudullah and Taskin Ahmed added 191 runs, just four short of the world record, in the ninth wicket to completely change the course of the match.

And, the story did not even begin with the stand that took the total from 270 to 461 but it had begun when Mahmudullah arrived at the wicket. The Test career of the 35-year old, who returned to Test XI after 17 months, was thought all but finished and seemingly for the last time when he went to crease his side was reeling on 132-6 against whom they are expected to win. Initially he formed a well-made 138-run stand with opener Liton Das before forming the history making partnership with Taskin. Mahmudullah ended on 150 not out while Taskin got out 75, both scoring their highest innings in Tests.

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It was however, not the first time Mahmudullah, who is playing his 50th Test, rescued his side. Bangladesh added record 336 runs in last four wickets during the game and the previous record was 212 against New Zealand at Hamilton in 2010. Mahmudullah, who was once hailed as best six-down batsman in the world by Sunil Gavaskar, scored 115 during that innings proving his worth as crisis man.

The ‘team-man’ as a matter of fact scribed his name in the Bangladesh cricket when he formed a match winning ninth wicket stand along with pace bowler Shafiul Islam to help his side winning against England in the World Cup 2011. He also was part of the previous best ninth wicket stand for Bangladesh and helped number 10 batsman Abul Hossain scoring his century against West Indies in 2012.

@BCBtigers' @Mahmudullah30 struck his fifth Test hundred while No 10 batsman Taskin Ahmed hit his maiden fifty in the longer version as the Tigers strolled towards a sizable first innings total at lunch on day two of their lone Test against @ZimCricketv.https://t.co/0CmfeKI2KE

— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) July 8, 2021

With many other match-winning innings and partnerships the big attribute of Mahmudullah is the ability of injecting believe to tail-enders to induce seemingly impossible feat. But what he has done on Thursday, the 8th July 2021, when he was seemingly lost may have overshadowed his previous fairytales.

One must also mention Taskin, once regarded as the most talented paceman in the county. The lanky fast bowler seemed to bewilder himself with the fame and spotlight and hence lost his track and position from the side. However, he showed immense tenacity through extreme hard work and determination as his close sources revealed they saw a changed man within him. He impressed everyone in the prior tour in Sri Lanka amid tough conditions and continued that in the current tour with batting, which is not his forte.

In short, the saga of Mahmudullah and Taskin was the story of comebacks of two apparently lost men, the triumph of salvation, the glory of uncertainty.

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One of the most revered Bangladeshi journalists, Jalal Chowdhury expressed his desire through facebook on Thursday morning of Mahmudullah and Taskin see through one hour in the morning session to create such a story that he may foretell to generations to come. The duo, in reality, superseded the expectation of that sagacious man.

Cricket can often bring such impossible wonders that even the most knowledgeable person fail to imagine. Every time someone doubts about the glorious uncertainty of cricket, like Shakespeare’s Hamlet a cricket lover may always invite a stranger to the game by saying:

“And therefore as a stranger give it welcome. There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”

Long live cricket.