A file photo from December 23, 2023 shows Bangladesh cricket team players and officials celebrating after winning their third and final ODI against New Zealand at McLean Park in Napier. — AFP photo
Bangladesh managed to win their first-ever one-day international against New Zealand in New Zealand on Saturday, but it came in a dead rubber, meaning it only added a layer of consolation over their suffering in the series defeat.
And this is not the first time they have done so in the recent past as since the start of last year, in four series, the Tigers conceded the three-match series in the first two matches and then solaced themselves with a win of little value in the final game.
It started back in Zimbabwe last year when they were washed away in the first two games, courtesy of a brilliant Sikandar Raza, conceding the series. However, they managed to win the final game, reducing the margin to 2-1.
The next time it happened was at home in March of this year, when England came to visit. Bangladesh lost the first two matches to hand the series to the English, their first home series defeat since 2016, which also came against England.
However, in the final ODI in Chattogram, an inspired performance from Shakib Al Hasan saw Bangladesh at least get something out of the series.
The next one, probably, was the most unexpected one for the Bangladesh cricket fraternity.
In their home series against Afghanistan, they lost the first two matches to lose their first-ever series to them. Although they managed a big win in the final game, it was nothing but a coat of saving grace over the series defeat.
This series, though, was the focus of discussion because of off-the-field matters as Tamim Iqbal, the then Bangladesh skipper, announced his immediate retirement from international cricket following the first game, shocking the whole Bangladesh cricket scene.
However, Tamim soon went back on his decision to retire following discussions with Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
In the tournament following that series, the Asia Cup 2023, Bangladesh managed to reach the Super Four stage, but following defeats to Pakistan and Sri Lanka, their hopes of reaching the final were gone.
And after that happened, Bangladesh managed to beat India to gain two consolation points, which only allowed them to not finish last.
And then the New Zealand series, their last ODI series of 2023. Against a second-string Blackcaps side, the Tigers failed to create any competition in the first two games before dominating in the third, but by then, it was too little, too late.
In all of these dead rubber matches, Bangladesh seemed to gain an extra edge and found a dominating performance to win, something that was not present when the series was alive.
And that only told stories of regret over missing out on more series wins rather than some of success.
