Those who observe Bangladesh cricket closely will find striking similarities between middle-order batsmen Nasir Hossain and Sabbir Rahman. The young duo have been “close buddies” for almost a decade now having started out with the Bangladesh Under-13 side. They have come a long way since then and will now share the dressing room in the biggest cricket competition, the ICC World Cup.
Many believe that there will be fierce competition among the two for a spot in the playing XI. Nasir and Sabbir though swatted away the claims yesterday in a press conference at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. According to both Nasir and Sabbir, their only aim is to deliver for the team, irrespective of who is given the opportunity.
To make matters more clear, Nasir said, “To be honest we both think that we will play in the XI together. It is only the people outside the dressing room who are thinking otherwise.
“It is not right to say I am competing against him. My job was to perform which I think I did (in the Dhaka Premier League). This got me a spot back in the national side and I am happy for that. In my mind I was never competing with him,” explained the 23-year old cricketer.
Sabbir, also the same age as Nasir, agreed with his friend and reiterated that they do not compete against each other. Sabbir hoped that they will be given the opportunity to play together in the XI.
“I never thought of competing with anyone. I tried to play my game in the premier league. Getting a chance in the squad solely depended on the selectors. We both got the chance and I hope we will be able to play together in the XI.”
Nasir’s run of poor form in all the three formats of the game last year saw him ousted from the national side for the home series against Zimbabwe last month. It was Sabbir who replaced Nasir.
When queried if he will be able to reclaim his spot in the XI, Nasir said, “It was always tough to get a chance in the XI, does not matter if it is now or then. Moreover, my batting position (lower middle-order) is not easy to say the least and it is not possible to play well every time.
“Chances of playing well in that position is always 50-50 as you have to start scoring the moment you step onto the middle. You play well in one or two games and you become a hero. If you do not do well then you lose your spot.”
Nasir, who has earned the moniker “Mr Finisher” due to his match-changing knocks, informed that times were extremely tough when he was dropped from the national side.
“You feel lonely during those times. I tried to consult with the coaches and also the seniors as to how I can make up the mistakes. I tried to spend most of my times with my friends,” he added.
Sabbir on the other hand is still a newcomer in the national side. He is best known for his acrobatic fielding and he will get no grander stage to showcase his skills than Australia and New Zealand. The venues in the two countries are known to be amongst the best stadias in world cricket.
Sabbir informed that he is really looking forward to fielding Down Under. “I have that in the back of my mind. Fielding is a big part as good fielding at times pushes a particular team towards a result. I will make an effort to do good fielding,” said Sabbir.
Explaining the importance of the position he bats at, Sabbir said, “Batting at number five, six or seven is always vital. At times even 20 runs is considered a big contribution for the team. When we go out to bat we often have 12-15 overs or even less. You are expected to put on some quick runs on the board. For me, holding my nerves is important at that point of time.”