WORLD CUP MOMENTS - No.37: Tamim Iqbal announces himself

The Bangladesh opener hits a brilliant half-century aged 18 in the memory victory over India at Port of Spain in 2007

"It's soon going to be his bedtime."

While global events provide some of the world's best athletes the chance to cement their status at the summit of their field, equally it provides an opportunity for young pretenders to announce themselves with the world watching.

Martin Crowe, Sanath Jayasuriya and Sachin Tendulkar are among those to have left their indelible mark on cricket's World Cup and in 2007 they were joined by a young pretender with raw talent and little respect for reputations.

Tamim Iqbal's international career was barely five weeks old when he was preparing to make his World Cup bow, on the day of his 18th birthday.

Indeed, it was a squad full of exciting young players including Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan - stars who continue to underpin The Tigers over a decade on.

Notice of his ability had come two years previous, with a fine 112 from 71 balls against an England Under-19 side in Fatullah. But this was a difference challenge altogether against some of international cricket's powerhouses.

^{Tamim approached the innings with reckless abandon}

Though Bangladesh had full ICC one-day status, two matches against Zimbabwe and a pokey tri-series tournament against Bermuda and Canada were his only tests at senior level before the tournament in the West Indies.

Those outings hardly served as a warning of what was to come, either. Only once did the left-hander surpass 11, though Bangladesh insisted they were not travelling to the Carribean to make up the numbers. Nevertheless, facing Sri Lanka and India in a four-team group looked a daunting prospect.

But such predictions looked fanciful when thanks to Mashrafe Mortaza, Abdur Razzak and Rafique, an all-star Indian batting line-up were skittled out for just 191 after electing to bat.

GLOBAL GAME

Tendulkar made seven, Virender Sehway just two. Sourav Ganguly and Vuvraj Singh bought some respectability to the score with 66 and 47 respectably, but with just one six throughout the innings the surface was anything but a buffet.

Opening with Shahriar Nafees - who was dismissed in the fifth over with just 24 on the board - Tamim was forced to soak up some early peppering. Struck on the helmet at the start of the Zaheer Khan's fourth over, India were convinced they had the teenager caught in the slips.

After such appeals were turned down, Tamim displayed character of the highest order. Having dusted himself down he carved Khan away for two boundaries at the end of the same over; first through point before he powered the ball down the ground.

^{Munaf Patel finally got the teenager}

Khan would end his ODI career with 282 wickets at a touch under 30. But his reputation was firmly laid to waste in Trinidad. He was unable to lay a mitt on Tamim with his short-pitched approach, with the opener constantly striking the ball through the offside.

Though a slightly fortuitous six through third man followed, the maximum Tamim struck through midwicket had a touch of arrogance about it. It was that strike which ushered David Lloyd to bark whether it was time for the youngster be put down for the night.

Khan was by this stage a shadow of the man who had for some years led the India pace attack with aplomb.

Tamim reached a rapid half-century in 51 balls, his first in international cricket on just his fifth appearance. His exploits would be ended two deliveries later when he was caught behind by MS Dhoni off the bowling of Munaf Patel.

Sixty-nine was already on the board by the time India had finally got rid of Tamim, but the damage was done. Despite some nervy moments, Bangladesh got home with nine balls to spare to cause a famous upset - made all the more possible by the foundations laid by an energetic knock at the top of the innings.

Such fearlessness has accompanied Tamim into his Test match displays, where he has hit nine centuries and 4,327 runs at a strike-rate of 56.57. He remains a key cog in the Bangladesh side in all formats and will be vital to ensuring they can fulfill their billing as dark horses this summer.

And as history shows, that status suits them well.