I Think Bowling All-Rounder Would Be Fine With Me – Miraz

Bangladesh spinning all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz believes that it is really important for a player to perform consistently as it helps him to be successful, adding that he always focuses on benefiting the Bangladesh national cricket team with the best possible performance.

The 26-year-old further acknowledged that he is content with the relentless juggling of his batting position as it provides him with a belief in prioritising by the team management. However, with the forthcoming ICC T20 World Cup in mind, he feels that the senior campaigners of the national side should be rested during the forthcoming home series against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, as it might cause fatigue among them ahead of the global meet.

Q. You have been branded as the most consistent performer among all in the national fold. What is magic?

Miraz: It is really important for a campaigner to maintain consistency. If you take a look at those who are successful in world cricket, all of them are consistent performers. You know that you will not be playing well every day. But you will get a chance on a day when you must capitalize on the opportunity. You wouldn’t be successful every day. Nevertheless, if your success rate is 60 percent, you have to count how many matches you contributed for your side to register wins. I always focus on benefiting my team through my contribution, which might be by batting, bowling, or even fielding. The bottom line is that I always want to contribute for my side, which fuels me to be consistent.

Q. Although you were a regular batter in the lower middle in the early stage of your national career, however, for the last couple of years you were also seen to be promoted in the opening order also at number two or middle as well. Do you think the relentless juggling of your batting order is hampering your performance?

Miraz: You know what? It signifies that my team management always thinks of me, which is really inspiring to me. I made my international debut as a bowler, and when people keep terming me a bowler, it will permanently linger in my memory that I am only a bowler for my team. Therefore, I am trying to come out of there by contributing with bats as well. I want to be a major contributor to the victories for Bangladesh, and that’s what I have been trying to do since the inception of my career.

Earlier, I used to bat at eight, but I liked the upper orders. So I would say that I am happy with my current spots. If you bat at eight, you have to bat with the bowlers, or you will have insufficient time to contribute to your side, and the position is very difficult. Still, I had batted at eight for a long time. And I didn’t deny the team management when they told me to open the innings because I knew that if I could help my team with my small contributions, someday I would get a chance to bat in my desired positions.

Q. Considering your performance in batting, people started to term you the batting all-rounder. Are you happy with that?

Miraz: No, I think bowling all-rounder would be fine with me.

Q. Alongside the spinners, Bangladesh pacers are also contributing to wins of late. How healthy is that for a side?

Miraz: It is really significant if a team wants to grow. If you want to rise as a good side, you must have equal performance from the pace unit and spin department. Now we have express bowlers like Ebadot Hossain and Taskin Ahmed who can deliver a ball at 140 kmph, and we also have swingers like Fizz [Mustafizur Rahman], Hasan Mahmd, and Shoriful Islam. Our pace bowling unit is really too good. But they should be taken care of, which would help them be better.

Q. Do you think that with the forthcoming ICC T20 World Cup in mind, the senior campaigners from the national side needed to get rest as there are two successive home series soon after the ongoing BPL

Miraz: You must have known that staying somewhere for a longer period of time makes us monotonous. Even if you concentrate on your profession ceaselessly, it will definitely make you tire at some point. The same happens to us as well. If we are given rest, it helps us give our best. Moreover, we are also human beings; we all need rest to perform better. Giving rest to the players is a positive sign.