There was a clear sense of relief in Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s words yesterday, Thursday. And understandably so—under his leadership, Bangladesh have won three consecutive series at home. That would be reassuring for any captain, and even more so for Miraz.

Why so? To understand that, one has to go back a few months. Before the home series against the West Indies, Bangladesh had slipped to the brink, dropping to 10th in the rankings.