Bangladesh pace sensation Nahid Rana ripped through the Pakistan batting line-up with a superb five-wicket haul, securing an emphatic eight-wicket triumph for his side in the series opener on Wednesday.
In just his 17th international appearance, the 23-year-old credited former Australia speedster and current fast bowling coach Shaun Tait for instilling the confidence that fuelled his match-winning performance, according to a report by International Cricket Council today.
“To be honest, he (Tait) is an outstanding coach because he behaves with us not only as a coach but also as a friend,” Rana stated in a post-match media conference. “He always motivates us and gives us the best guidance.”
Rana, who consistently hit speeds over 140km/h, left the visiting batters mesmerised and his performance drew significant praise from the opposition camp.
Pakistan coach Mike Hesson, who was “bitterly disappointed” with his side”s display, admitted Rana was the decisive factor. “I think Nahid Rana was exceptional,” Hesson said. “He changed the game… we didn”t respond as well as we needed to. So all credit to him.”
The experienced mentor, observing Rana live for the first time, was impressed by his technique. “He bowls hard into the surface, he presents the seam and he bowls cross-seam,” Hesson noted.
Despite the focus on his velocity, Rana insisted his priority is developing his craft over raw speed. “Honestly, I don”t think too much about speed. In international cricket, skill matters more than pure pace,” the right-armer said after his maiden five-wicket haul in ODIs.
He revealed that he consulted with senior bowlers Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed on the field to better understand the pitch conditions. “They told me that if you hit the right areas or maintain a proper line and length in certain spots, it becomes difficult for the batters to play. So I just tried to execute that,” Rana explained.
Rana first appeared on the international scene at the beginning of 2024 during an ICC World Test Championship contest against Sri Lanka and has primarily featured in the longest format of the game.