Bangladesh’s long wait for an ODI win finally ended Saturday as Tanvir Islam took 5 for 39 in only his second international appearance, helping secure a 16-run victory over Sri Lanka in Colombo. (Also Read: Tanvir Islam Shines as Bangladesh Defeat Sri Lanka by 16 Runs to Level ODI Series)
The win brought Bangladesh level in the series and broke a string of eight consecutive ODI losses that stretched back nearly eight months.
Tanvir didn’t have the smoothest start. Kusal Mendis struck him for two boundaries and a six in a 17-run over early in the innings. But his captain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, offered some quick reassurance.
“He told me not to bowl defensively, to aim for wickets,” Tanvir recalled. “He kept saying we could defend 248.”
That advice seemed to change everything. In his third over, Tanvir began to bowl straighter. He dismissed Nishan Madushka, then removed Mendis in his next. DRS was needed for the lbw, but the decision stuck. From there, Sri Lanka’s chase slowed.
Tanvir’s return to form followed a brief and difficult experiment with a new bowling action. He had tested the change during a T20I series against the UAE, but it didn’t go well. Two expensive games and no wickets later, he was dropped.
He didn’t play against Pakistan. He nearly missed this ODI series too, until leg-spinner Rishad Hossain fell ill just before the first game. That opened a spot.
“I was working on my bowling action, but I got a lot of negative feedback,” he said. “I’d been bowling the same way since 2013. Hridoy told me to go back to what worked. He said that action made me who I am.”
The decision paid off.
Tanvir, now 28, never came through Bangladesh’s age-group system. He got his start in the Dhaka league. And while that route takes longer, he always believed performance would matter more than anything else.
“I don’t think age should stop you,” he said. “I kept trying, and now, I have a five-wicket haul in an international match.”
His captain noticed.
“Tanvir made key breakthroughs for us,” Mehidy said. “He was one of four players who really made the difference.”
He also credited Shamim Hossain, who bowled nine overs and contributed with the bat. Emon provided a strong start. And Tanzim Hasan Sakib’s attacking cameo at the end added crucial runs.
“The way Tanzim went after Hasaranga, that really helped us push from 220 to nearly 250,” Mehidy said.
Still, Mehidy wasn’t satisfied. He pointed to familiar issues: two run-outs, failure to bat through 50 overs, and four dropped catches.
“These are areas we have to fix,” he said. “We’ve won, but we’ve also let chances slip.”
With one game left in the series, Bangladesh will be looking for a cleaner performance. But for now, the losing streak is over, and one of their newest players has delivered when it counted.
