It was not an easy sailing. They lost the first two matches and were on the verge of facing the same scathing criticism that came their way ever since Bangladesh became a member of the elite club. But they demonstrated the kind of determination and fighting spirit that we had seen rarely in the past. It was a wonderful comeback. The final was a truly exciting encounter as both sides were looking forward to clinching the series. The Zimbabweans were off to a good start , but once again our spinners took charge of the situation and the hosts could only reach a modest 198. Spin bowling is definitely one department where the boys have improved beyond measure, following the tradition of this subcontinent.

But then the thing that the huge number of cricket fans enjoyed most yesterday was some real fireworks by the two Bangladesh batsmen, Aftab and Rafique. It was a great match for young Aftab who played some superb shots all around the wicket. It was ruthless clubbing at its best! Rafique, too, showed that he has matured into a genuine all-rounder. The Zimbabwean bowlers were never allowed to settle on their line and length and they watched helplessly as the Bangladeshi batsmen powered their way to the target in 33 overs, leaving the crowd in a state of sheer ecstasy. They had reason to be elated. Cricket can indeed be a source of joy.

But we should not rest on the oars of home series victories against a none-too-strong side. The sense of triumph, great as it is, must not be allowed to blur our vision of the future. We will have to compete against far stronger teams in future to prove our real worth in the international cricket arena. The challenge ahead is a tough one and can be met successfully only if the boys continue to improve the way they have in recent months. Coach Dave Whatmore has lived up to his reputation in a truly convincing manner; he has already honed a bunch of talented yet raw youths into a fighting unit. They should now be prepared to play competitive cricket at the highest level on a sustainable basis with some confidence-building victories under their belt.