Watch out, here comes Mustafizur!

FOR so long “The Toothless Tigers”, Bangladesh are now a team who are fast biting large chunks out of their main rivals. The much-awaited promise to fulfill their vast potential, especially in limitedovers cricket, is starting to bear fruit and it is the mighty Proteas they now have in their sights.

Consecutive ODI series victories over Asian rivals Pakistan and India have not only confirmed Bangladesh’s participation in next year’s Champions Trophy, but also unearthed a quartet of fast-medium bowlers that have sent the cricket-crazed nation into a frenzy over the past fortnight.

Having traditionally been over-reliant on spin and guile on the turning tracks of home, the hosts are now fully equipped to tackle the Proteas head-on, with the looming tour shaping up to be a battle of young quick men.

Amazingly this upsurge is being led by a teenage seamer that is still being promised an iPhone from his relatives if he claims a certain amount of wickets! Mustafizur Rahman, the 19-year-old from a far-flung village 230km on the outskirts of Dhaka, has become a national hero within a couple of days after he almost singlehandedly destroyed the former world champions in consecutive matches at the Shere Bangla National Stadium.

This kid has torn up the record books and his manic celebrations after every wicket shows that he loves every minute of his new-found fame. And why shouldn’t he? Eleven wickets in his first two ODIs, including a best of 6/43 has given his confidence levels a Red Bull boost. Considering the scalps have included Indian superstars like Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni (twice) and Suresh Raina, he will be one of the few bowlers in the world relishing Today Cricket

Hockey the prospect of testing his ability against AB de Villiers and company.

Mustafizur is not a tearaway Ferrari – his deliveries are timed at close to 135km/h – but he understands his limitations. There is no spraying of the new ball or a barrage of shortpitched deliveries for this southpaw. Instead, he aims to get the new ball swinging by pitching it up as far as possible in bid to find the most delicate of edges to bring his wicketkeeper and slips into play.

However, it is when the white ball loses its natural shine that Mustafizur is at his most lethal. Impressive for one still so early into his international career, the left-armer has an abundance of skill and utilises it through his variations, specifically the well-disguised offcutter that grips off the surface.

And to illustrate that there is more than just one arrow in his quiver, he can also ramp it up with a fuller, quicker delivery zoned in at the stumps when the lower-order batsmen arrive at the crease.

But any fast bowler cannot perform in isolation. Pressure from the entire bowling unit needs to be sustained from the other end. Taksin Ahmed, who too is only 20-years-old, plays the supporting role of the cavalier partner to perfection. His new-ball strikes in the first ODI were vital in setting up the platform for Mustafizur’s heroics later on. Toss in the seam of veteran skipper Mashrafe Mortaza and Rubel Hossain and suddenly Bangladesh have a very useful bowling attack.

With South Africa opting to rest their pace spearhead Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander for the limited-overs leg of the tour, the visitors will arrive in the bustling Asian metropolis with a green tinge to their fast bowling resources.

Morne Morkel’s experience will be there if required, but it is unlikely that the beanpole fast bowler will be utilised in all three matches of the series. Opportunities will be handed to 20-year-old Kagiso Rabada, Kyle Abbott, Chris Morris and Wayne Parnell to show their wares.

A fascinating aspect of the series could just be Rabada’s tussle with Mustafizur, espe- cially due to their contrasting styles. The Highveld Lions rookie is much quicker than his Bangladeshi counterpart as he regularly bowls in excess of 140km/h.

The surfaces at the Shere Bangla National Stadium and the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Dhaka and Chittagong respectively – the venues for the South African series – are unlikely to be conducive to out-and-out fast bowling though, which should be a formidable test of Rabada’s capabilities on his first Proteas tour to the subcontinent.