Tigers return to hunting ground

There is a reason why the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium (ZACS) in Chittagong is often referred to as the Bangladesh national team's lucky ground.

Have a glance at the stats and they will tell you that the Tigers have won nine out of their last 11 ODIs here. Those are impressive numbers, but then again, the positive sentiment relating to the port city are more than numbers can show.

From crushing wins to brilliant comebacks, from surpassing mental barriers to some fine Test performances as well, the memories that the Tigers have created here in the few matches they have played go beyond the realm of statistics.

And one does not need to look too far back. The last time Bangladesh played here, they beat South Africa in a series for the first time. The turnaround in the series, which began in Dhaka -- where Bangladesh levelled the series after losing the first match -- was completed in Chittagong.

It was a merciless performance. After restricting the visitors to 168, Soumya Sarkar's whirlwind 90 took the Tigers home in just 26.1 overs and with nine wickets hand. Till date, that is the only nine-wicket win that Bangladesh have against a Test nation.

Travel a little further down memory lane and you will recall the game between Bangladesh and the West Indies in October 2011. The Tigers had already lost the series, but they needed something to end on a high. On a slow, turning track, the men from the Caribbean were bundled out for just 61 runs with Shakib Al Hasan scalping a four-wicket haul. That remains the second-lowest total scored by any team against the Tigers. In fact, the lowest ever total was also posted at the ZACS. The Zimbabweans, in 2009, were bundled out for just 44.

Of all the memories however, Bangladesh's thrilling win against England during the World Cup in 2011 stands out. Chasing 225, the hosts were reduced to 169 for eight. The game was supposed to be done and dusted and the stands were clearing.

However, right at that moment, an unlikely hero -- Shafiul Islam -- stepped up and scored a handsome 24 off 24 and along with Mahmudullah Riyad took Bangladesh over the line with just one over to go.

When asked if the team members discussed the win in 2011 yesterday, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza provided an answer expected of him: "Our record here is good. But we can't think of that and play every game. That was a different England team, and this is a different England team. And that match took place five years ago. For now, we are focusing on minimising the mistakes that we committed in the last two games because that's the only way we can win the decider."

It rained throughout the afternoon yesterday and Mashrafe and co did not get a chance to see the wicket. But with the covers on for the last two days, and going by the traditional slow and low characteristic of the ZACS, the players could well be playing on a similar track as that of the second ODI today. In fact, it might be even slower.

Regardless of how the wicket behaves, Mashrafe and co will hope they can continue the good run and win their seventh successive series today.