Rishad Hossain showed how valuable a leg-spinner can be if the team management puts their faith on him, reports BSS.
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 plays 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."
Bd-pratidin English/Tanvir Raihan
