Mohammad Saifuddin: A pace-bowling allrounder in making
Mohammad Saifuddin, a 21-year-old young lad, showed some glimpses to become a pace-bowling allrounder in ongoing Bangladesh-Zimbabwe one-day series. He struck his maiden one-day fifty in the series opener while making a 127 runs stand on the seventh wicket with Imrul Kayes and, in the second match of the series, he registered career-best bowling taking three wickets.
In both matches, Saifuddin's performance proved to be decisive for Bangladesh. Exhibiting career-best batting and bowling in back-to-back matches, Saifuddin confirmed that he is on the right path to conclude the never-ending waiting of Bangladesh for a pace-bowling allrounder.
Saifuddin introduced to one-day internationals a year ago against South Africa in Kimberley. But he failed to justify his place in the team for lean performances, and thus he lost his place from the one-day set-up of the Tigers.
Bangladesh team management decided to back him again in ongoing Zimbabwe series to examine his improvement ahead of the World Cup next year. Bangladesh were eagerly searching for a pace-bowling all-rounder keeping the World Cup in mind.
The right-handed bowler and left-handed batsman, a Sourav Ganguly-like package, proved that his comeback could be counted to be his real introduction as an allrounder.
Saifuddin was struck by David Miller for consecutive five sixes in Potchefstroom last year that made him disappointed. That mighty blow only made him stronger as he said after registering his career-best bowling in Chittagong yesterday: "I will remember (Miller's sixes) it, but I can't keep thinking about it when I am playing.
There will be some slip-ups when you are trying to achieve success. My mother used to say that a baby may fall while taking his first steps, but does that mean he will not walk? I will get hit, but I will learn from it."
Bangladesh were in doubt while handing over the ball to Saifuddin in the death. But, he showed signs of his death over bowling in the absence of Rubel Hossain who was suffering from fever.
"I worked on the mental aspect of bowling and discussed with senior guys on what should be the right approach to bowl in international cricket. I wanted to show my improvement (in this match) since I am playing in place of Rubel Bhai." Saifuddin said on his bowling improvement after the match.