Bangladesh Pace Attack
Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2019 12:59 am
Focus rarely shifts to a Bangladeshi fast bowling corp, but with a tour of New Zealand (3 ODIs and 3 Tests) and the World Cup less than 5 months away, Bangladesh's seamers will need to step up.
With the injury to Taskin, the uncapped Ebadat Hossain gets a maiden call up for the Test squad. Sylhet natives are excited because for years our local team has been the worst domestic side in Bangladesh. I think across all formats, Sylhet has only won a domestic championship once. For the first time, 3 Sylheti fast bowlers (Ebadat, Abu Jayed, and Khaled Ahmed) will make a Bangladesh squad.
The following is my summary of the current BD pace attack:
Mustafizur Rahman (left arm fast medium, height: 5'11", hometown: Khulna)
Everyone knows the Fizz by now. Canny bowler with an action that resembles that of Mohammad Amir, but a totally different type of bowler. Has lost a bit of pace recently, but can still clock up to 140 during most of his spells. His reliance on various cutters might hamper his effectiveness in Tests outside Asia, but in ODIs he has proven to be one of the best in the world going around (73 wickets at 20 with an economy rate of just 4.58 runs per over). He is the undisputed leader of the attack.
Mashrafe Bin Mortaza (right arm fast medium, height: 6'1", hometown: Khulna)
This man is now entering the 19th year of his international career after no fewer than 7 operations. A true bagher bachcha (Bengali for "son of a Tiger") he is the most inspirational man and captain Bangladesh have ever had and is now a sitting Member of Parliament as well, representing his native Narail district in Khulna. Although he has refused to give a precise timetable, it is widely expected he will retire from cricket at the conclusion of the World Cup. Bangladesh may never see such a strong cricketer ever again. He is now reduced to being a 120 kph trundler, but knows his game well and uses his vast experience to remain an effective 4th bowler for his side.
Rubel Hossain (right arm fast medium, height: 5'9", hometown: Khulna)
The most experienced of the quicks, apart from Mashrafe. He has struggled of late. When on song, he can be a lethal death bowler, but he's had a horror show in the recent past. If he can get back to his best form, Bangladesh will feel much more confident about their chances in England this summer.
Abu Jayed Chowdhury (right arm medium fast, height: 5'8", hometown: Sylhet)
The slowest bowler in Bangladesh's arsenal but almost surely the most gifted swing bowler the country has produced. Generally bowls around a gentle 130 kph pace, but can move the ball consistently through the air. At this moment classed as a Test specialist, he impressed during the abysmal tour of the Caribbean last summer with 7 wickets and could enjoy the conditions in New Zealand.
Syed Khaled Ahmed (right arm fast medium, height: 6'2", hometown: Sylhet)
Although a fellow Sylheti, I was not at all a fan of this guy as I was under the impression that he was just another 5'8" 125 kph trundler. Myself being 5'8" tall, I don't hold that against anyone personally (lol), but that is not what a fast bowler should look like. Khaled has a decent action and run up, has a bit of pace, clocking up to 141 on his debut Test and has no glaring weaknesses. Despite ending his debut wicketless, he did produce 3 or 4 genuine chances and looks like a fairly good prospect for Bangladesh. It is very rare to see a Bangladesh fast bowler getting a 10 wicket haul in a domestic first class game, but Khaled did just that at the end of the last NCL season, paving the way for his Test debut against Zimbabwe late last year.
Ebadat Hossain Chowdhury (right arm fast, height: 6'1", hometown: Sylhet)
A bit of bad luck for Taskin Ahmed got Ebadat a belated call up to the Test team. Has an action and physique almost identical to Brett Lee, only about 10 kph slower. Hits the deck hard, consistently bowling above the 140 kph mark he is widely suspected of being amongst the quickest bowlers in the country. Like his fellow Sylhet Division teammate, Khaled, Ebadat also recently took a landmark 10 wicket haul in first class cricket and coupled with figures of 4-17 in the last BPL match, proved impossible to ignore for the selectors.
Abu Hider (left arm medium fast, height: 5'11")
Pegged as a LOI specialist as of now, he will feel hard done by after being dropped (unfairly IMO) from the squad for the NZ tour. I believe he is a must for the World Cup with his ability to swing the new ball, bowl yorkers at the death, and generally outsmart the opposition. All in all we have the ingredients for a well balanced attack in the not too distant future I hope. Fizz provides guile and variation, Jayed is a swing bowler, Khaled and Ebadat offer a bit of pace and bounce.
With the injury to Taskin, the uncapped Ebadat Hossain gets a maiden call up for the Test squad. Sylhet natives are excited because for years our local team has been the worst domestic side in Bangladesh. I think across all formats, Sylhet has only won a domestic championship once. For the first time, 3 Sylheti fast bowlers (Ebadat, Abu Jayed, and Khaled Ahmed) will make a Bangladesh squad.
The following is my summary of the current BD pace attack:
Mustafizur Rahman (left arm fast medium, height: 5'11", hometown: Khulna)
Everyone knows the Fizz by now. Canny bowler with an action that resembles that of Mohammad Amir, but a totally different type of bowler. Has lost a bit of pace recently, but can still clock up to 140 during most of his spells. His reliance on various cutters might hamper his effectiveness in Tests outside Asia, but in ODIs he has proven to be one of the best in the world going around (73 wickets at 20 with an economy rate of just 4.58 runs per over). He is the undisputed leader of the attack.
Mashrafe Bin Mortaza (right arm fast medium, height: 6'1", hometown: Khulna)
This man is now entering the 19th year of his international career after no fewer than 7 operations. A true bagher bachcha (Bengali for "son of a Tiger") he is the most inspirational man and captain Bangladesh have ever had and is now a sitting Member of Parliament as well, representing his native Narail district in Khulna. Although he has refused to give a precise timetable, it is widely expected he will retire from cricket at the conclusion of the World Cup. Bangladesh may never see such a strong cricketer ever again. He is now reduced to being a 120 kph trundler, but knows his game well and uses his vast experience to remain an effective 4th bowler for his side.
Rubel Hossain (right arm fast medium, height: 5'9", hometown: Khulna)
The most experienced of the quicks, apart from Mashrafe. He has struggled of late. When on song, he can be a lethal death bowler, but he's had a horror show in the recent past. If he can get back to his best form, Bangladesh will feel much more confident about their chances in England this summer.
Abu Jayed Chowdhury (right arm medium fast, height: 5'8", hometown: Sylhet)
The slowest bowler in Bangladesh's arsenal but almost surely the most gifted swing bowler the country has produced. Generally bowls around a gentle 130 kph pace, but can move the ball consistently through the air. At this moment classed as a Test specialist, he impressed during the abysmal tour of the Caribbean last summer with 7 wickets and could enjoy the conditions in New Zealand.
Syed Khaled Ahmed (right arm fast medium, height: 6'2", hometown: Sylhet)
Although a fellow Sylheti, I was not at all a fan of this guy as I was under the impression that he was just another 5'8" 125 kph trundler. Myself being 5'8" tall, I don't hold that against anyone personally (lol), but that is not what a fast bowler should look like. Khaled has a decent action and run up, has a bit of pace, clocking up to 141 on his debut Test and has no glaring weaknesses. Despite ending his debut wicketless, he did produce 3 or 4 genuine chances and looks like a fairly good prospect for Bangladesh. It is very rare to see a Bangladesh fast bowler getting a 10 wicket haul in a domestic first class game, but Khaled did just that at the end of the last NCL season, paving the way for his Test debut against Zimbabwe late last year.
Ebadat Hossain Chowdhury (right arm fast, height: 6'1", hometown: Sylhet)
A bit of bad luck for Taskin Ahmed got Ebadat a belated call up to the Test team. Has an action and physique almost identical to Brett Lee, only about 10 kph slower. Hits the deck hard, consistently bowling above the 140 kph mark he is widely suspected of being amongst the quickest bowlers in the country. Like his fellow Sylhet Division teammate, Khaled, Ebadat also recently took a landmark 10 wicket haul in first class cricket and coupled with figures of 4-17 in the last BPL match, proved impossible to ignore for the selectors.
Abu Hider (left arm medium fast, height: 5'11")
Pegged as a LOI specialist as of now, he will feel hard done by after being dropped (unfairly IMO) from the squad for the NZ tour. I believe he is a must for the World Cup with his ability to swing the new ball, bowl yorkers at the death, and generally outsmart the opposition. All in all we have the ingredients for a well balanced attack in the not too distant future I hope. Fizz provides guile and variation, Jayed is a swing bowler, Khaled and Ebadat offer a bit of pace and bounce.