Even after Nahid Rana had taken out Pakistan’s rookie top three with bouncers, they still had two aces up their sleeves. Their only aces in the batting line-up actually. Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha were the experienced duo who could take them out of a quick three-wicket collapse. Instead, Rana put the mockers on the pair.
Rizwan was undone by the typical fast bowler’s one-two trick. Two short balls followed by a full one, with Rizwan caught in the crease waiting for a third short ball. He edged a low catch to Litton Das. It was, however, Agha’s wicket that woke up a sleepy Shere Bangla National Stadium.
The celebrations when Bangladesh picked up four wickets quickly were customary with cheers from the sparse crowd. Matches during Ramadan have rarely attracted big crowds in this country. This was a comeback game of sorts for Bangladesh after missing out on the T20 World Cup.
Rana’s spell, however, built up to be mesmeric. The batters kept hopping around and were beaten by his pace. This is not the ground where fast bowlers make the batters uncomfortable. In the last ODI series held in Mirpur, spinners bowled 84 per cent of the overs; West Indies bowled 50 overs of spin in the second game, which they won in the Super Over.
On Wednesday, it was a different story. Rana had taken four wickets in as many overs. A fifth wicket in his fifth over wasn’t too far from reality. But when Mehidy Hasan Miraz sent Tanzid Hasan to short leg, it looked more of a gimmick than a serious ploy. There were enough catching fielders for Rana but a short leg for a fast bowler in Mirpur was a stretch.
Rana though cramped Agha, who could only fend it to the close-in fielder on the leg side. Tanzid fumbled but managed to keep the ball in his grasp after couple of attempts, sparking the biggest and the longest cheer of the game. It was the noise that continued till the end of the game when Tanzid, coincidentally, completed Bangladesh’s rapid chase.
Nahid Rana surprised Pakistan with pace and bounce•AFP/Getty Images
“I think it was the plan of the captain and [Najmul Hossain] Shanto bhai (brother),” Rana said. “They are an experienced duo in this arena, so I try to take help from them.
“I wasn’t too surprised with the wicket. Fizz [Mustafizur Rahman] bhai and Taskin [Ahmed] bhai were telling me that I should just consistently hit a length on the wicket. I just tried to execute what they were telling me. Speaking to all of them makes me feel less pressure in the middle.”
While Rana finished with five wickets, he bowled his fastest delivery of the game in his sixth over – a 148kph ball to Faheem Ashraf. He created a couple of chances in his next over, too, before Mehidy took him off the attack. Given Bangladesh’s sour mood, particularly for missing the T20 World Cup, Rana’s spell truly woke up the players and fans alike.
Rana said the team management prepared him well and asked him to bowl to his strengths. They didn’t tell him he could bowl long spells but he was mentally ready to bowl one. He also credited the Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL), the domestic one-day tournament, for helping him prepare for this series.
“[The management] told me to bowl whole-heartedly,” he said. “They told me to do what I do best. I was prepared to bowl whenever they ask me to, which is the duty of any cricketer. That is also why I was prepared to bowl a long spell. I have to be fit enough to bowl seven or ten overs on the trot, if the team demands such a spell.
“I was playing an ODI after a long time but my preparation was great after playing in the BCL tournament. I could just execute some of my plans from that tournament. I have also bowled a lot on this wicket so I know what lengths will get me help from the wicket. I tried to bring those previous experiences of playing in this stadium to the game today.”
Rana also explained that having a tight friendship among the fast bowling group helps with communication and passing of knowledge among each other.
“We are a band of brothers. We are happy-go-lucky on and off the field, so it helps us relax when things get too serious. We boost each other, and we look out for each other. I try to learn from them constantly. When I can’t execute something in the middle, they point it to me. They deliver a simple message, which helps me understand better.”
Bangladesh’s fast bowling has improved a lot in the last few years. But whenever the national side has a low phase in any format, the management opts for raging turners, particularly at the Shere Bangla National Stadium. In the lead up to this ODI series, both the head coaches Phil Simmons and Mike Hesson said that they saw a better pitch in Mirpur. With Rana selected in Bangladesh’s squad, there was a hint that pace could have a bigger role in these games. Nobody, though, imagined that fast bowlers taking seven wickets to end a day-night ODI in less than four hours.
Mohammad Isam is ESPNcricinfo’s Bangladesh correspondent. @isam84
