How Shakib offset Boucher-Bavuma game plan

Bangladesh mounted a terrific effort in getting their very first victory -- a 38-run win -- in South African soil against the Proteas during the first ODI at Centurion yesterday and a pivotal tactical blow was enforced by star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who outdid the ploy that South Africa coach Mark Boucher and captain Temba Bavuma had set Bangladesh up for.

It eventually made the Bangladesh side topple the 300-run barrier in South Africa, a feat they have also achieved for the very first time there. It was quite masterful execution from the tactical point of view of the game, while as a batter, Shakib displayed new avenues he had been exploring.

In a way, his batting approach was just as cunning as it was cheeky. At times, it was rather peculiar due to the sheer daring, like when he kept going across his stumps to try and lift some fast ones over fine leg region. Shakib's gamble was triggered by the platform laid by the Tamim-Liton stand but with both of them departing so soon after each other (in the space of nine deliveries), the momentum slowed down. Dispatching a wide half-volley for four through cover to get off the mark was a boost to confidence. He adjusted his mindset after spending some time on the wicket, categorising it as a good track to bat on.

"Yes, when I spent seven-eight balls, I thought it was a good wicket. We needed to score somewhere close to 300 so we needed to keep the momentum going. We got a good start through Tamim and Liton. It was important for us to score as much as we can. With the old ball it was easier to score runs and I thought we had to capitalise. We tried to capitalise and luckily it came of really well today," Shakib said about his gamble during post-match presentation ceremony.

He had a partner in crime in Yasir Ali, who played an altogether different but classy innings of his own during a 44-ball 50. Shakib was happy for Yasir being able to get into that mould in a crucial game during a 115-run stand of just 81 deliveries.

"I think Yasir batted really well. Him and my partnership was important to the innings. Lot of credit goes to Yasir as well for the way he played. You know, he's a young guy playing his third and fourth ODI match. It's against South Africa, in South Africa. Wasn't easy for him but he played a really good innings for us," he said about Yasir.

Shakib's approach was more geared towards disrupting the South African game plan. More of the 'Dennis the Menace' variety.

Typically, Bangladesh looks to score at between four-five runs an over in the middle overs, which happened here after Mushfiqur Rahim departed to a slog sweep. The Shakib-Yasir duo picked up the tempo from the 34th over onwards.

From overs 34 till 42, Bangladesh scored 94 runs at a run-rate of 10.4. The aggression raised Bangladesh's overall run-rate from the 4.50 region to 5.70. This was Shakib's ploy here. Kagiso Rabada had four overs left before the start of 35th over of the Bangladesh innings. The Proteas think tank was banking on Rabada getting it full and straight and making it difficult at the death overs for Bangladesh. Shakib's early hitting forced Rabada to be brought on merely to stem the flow of runs, exactly as he wanted. Rabada bowled three of his remaining overs inside the 43rd over and it led to him being able to bowl just one more in the last five overs of the innings. Bangladesh capitalised in those late overs against Andile Phehlukwayo and Marco Jansen and Rabada went for 15 in his last over as the likes of Mehedi Hasan Miraz and Afif Hossain found crucial boundaries. Even as Shakib had departed in the 42nd over, the last eight overs produced 71 runs.

Bangladesh had a run-out scare as Shakib had to dive to save himself at the non-striker's end. Photo: AFP

Knowing Shakib's ability to find gaps square of the wicket, they bowled more at him, leading to Shakib taking charge of the mental battle through one of his most effective clean hitting displays. Even after Bavuma brought on Rabada, Shakib kept up his hitting tactics. It was an attempt at offsetting and dictating South Africa's game plan. He departed to Lungi Ngidi, out leg-before trying to lift one over fine leg. Such innovations had been part of the parcel of his 64-ball 77, laced with seven fours and three sixes.

"As soon as the shine was gone, the ball wasn't doing much like the first 10 overs, so we had to take some calculative risks and it paid off today," Shakib said about seizing the initiative.

It was a calculative risk, not just in terms of shot-playing but the innings build-up too. Had he gotten out trying to up the tempo early, Bangladesh could have been in more pressure. There were some near chances. The risk was worth the reward for him as he counted on the batters coming on later to do the job without Rabada hounding them.

"I thought it was important to go after them at that time because otherwise we would have ended up scoring 260-270. The momentum we got from 30th to 40th over, I think changed the complexion of the game completely. I know that in the end, Rabada is going to bowl three or four overs. We had to bring him early and for that we took some calculative risk from 30th to 40th over and that's what we did exactly," he concluded.

It was going against the grain of the usual thought-process of his side, but it changed the momentum and derailed South Africa's plans for the last 10 overs. The extra few runs to work with was handy for the bowlers, who then did their job as a unit to get the monkey off Bangladesh's back of not having won any match against the Proteas in South Africa. Now they can focus on the rest of the series with a broader sense of purpose.