No cure for leg-spin disease

Bangladesh batsmen’s chronic weakness against leg-spinners was once again exposed in their Asia Cup match against Afghanistan as Rashid Khan picked up three wickets to break the back of their middle-order.

The Bangladesh batsmen have regularly struggled against leg-spinners. Four out of the top-five wicket-taking spinners against Bangladesh in Twenty20 Internationals are wrist-spinners.

Rashid tops the list with 17 wickets in eight matches, while Australia’s Adam Zampa is second with 13 wickets in six matches. New Zealand’s Ish Sodhi has 12 in five matches, and Zimbabwe’s Graeme Cremer has 11 in six.

In their match against Afghanistan, their severe weakness against the wrist-spin was out in the middle. First, Mushfiqur Rahim could not read a googly and saw himself trapped LBW. Afif Hossain tried to shuffle across to smother the spin, but he did not judge the quicker delivery from the Afghan spinner, which skids on, and saw himself trapped LBW too.

The final one to go was Mahmudullah Riyad, who tried to slog sweep Rashid against the spin anticipating a googly and holed out to midwicket.

And the problem is nothing new. Mushfiq, in his T20I career, has faced 25 deliveries from Rashid, where he has only 16 runs and has been dismissed four times.

The problem stems from not facing quality leg-spinners in the local circuit. In recent years, the only leg-spinners in the country’s cricketing fraternity have been- Alok Kapali, who was never a genuine leggie; Aminul Islam Biplob, who became a leg-spinner very late in his career, along with Rishad Hossain and Minhajul Islam Afridi, who have just started. The only genuine leg-spinner has been Jubayer Hossain Likhon, who saw himself ousted for poor form.

Rishad was taken to UAE as a net bowler to prepare for Rashid and the other leggies in the tournament, but that has not worked, as seen in the opening match.

But they will need to sort this out. Because they will be facing Wanindu Hasaranga, another brilliant leg-spinner, in their next match, and if they manage to reach the Super 4, they will have to face Shadab Khan and Yuzvendra Chahal.