Rishad Hossain showed how valuable a leg-spinner
can be if the team management puts their faith on him.
In Bangladesh particularly, the leg-spinners were not encouraged much as they
often leaked runs and therefore domestic club and even in the country’s first
class tournament, they were overlooked.
But this management and captain Najmul Hossain Shanto continuously backed
Rishad even though he hardly got any game time in the domestic circuit.
While leg-spin is a difficult art to learn, almost all countries back their
leg-spinners, knowing that these sorts of spinners can give them the wicket
when it matters most.
Rishad was nurtured totally by the national team management and he lived up
to the expectation quite well from the very beginning. But in his first match
in the T20 World Cup, Rishad put a match-winning performance, much to the
elation of the team management, who now knew that their investment on him is
quite successful.
Rishad, however, is the first leg-spinner from Bangladesh, who pl
ays in a
global event like World Cup and in his first match, he was awarded the man of
the match for his career-best 3-22.
More than his bowling figure, his impact was something that was much-talked.
In a slow-paced wicket, Sri Lanka made a fluent start and reached in a
position from where they can take the total past 150 and if so, Bangladesh
hardly had any possibility to win the game.
Rishad’s double-strike in the 15th over basically turned the game around. By
that point, Sri Lanka reached 100-3 in 14 overs and looked set to launch an
attack. But when Rishad dismissed Charith Asalanka and Wanindu Hasaranga in
consecutive deliveries, the fate of the game was sealed.
Sri Lanka finally were restricted for a below par 125-9 instead of 150 plus
that looked possible before Rishad struck.
There was risk that Rishad could leak runs as the Lankan batters looked well
set. But captain Shanto backed him to break the partnership, knowing that a
leg-spinner has the chance always to take wickets.
“He is a
wicket-taking bowler for us. We need wickets at that point, so we
used him and he lived up to the expectation fully,” Shanto said.
“He has been doing well from the very beginning of his career. I hope he
would continue this performance and if so he will be a huge asset for us
because a leg-spinner can give you the wicket in any kind of conditions.”
Rishad said all that he can do is to try his best without bothering who the
opponents and batters are.
“I always tried my best to contribute for the team and put the ball in right
areas. I know if I can make the ball talking, it will be enough to get the
wicket whether it is right-handed batter or left-handed batter.”
Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha