Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman's bowling in the ongoing T20 World Cup has reignited optimism about his return to form. He's been tying down batsmen with his slower balls and cutters, leading the tournament in the number of dot balls delivered.
Just for comparison, India's Jasprit Bumrah has bowled 40 dot balls in three matches, whereas Mustafiz has a remarkable 47 – the highest among Bangladeshi bowlers so far. He continued his wicket-taking ways in the recent Netherlands match, mirroring his performance against South Africa.
Former Bangladesh skipper Tamim Iqbal, impressed by Mustafiz's bowling, said, "The way Mustafiz is bowling right now is simply phenomenal. He's a bowler who has always been given the most challenging overs, and he's repaying that faith. The World Cup pitches are perfectly suited to Bangladesh's bowling style; it's almost like playing at home."
Tamim, speaking about Shakib Al Hasan's knock, commented, "Frankly, I don't believe he had anything to prove in terms of his importance. We all know his worth, and he's been demonstrating that for Bangladesh for over 16-17 years. He's had a bit of a lean patch, there's been a lot of chatter and criticism, but he's shut them up with a
brilliant innings. He batted right
till the very end, which was absolutely crucial."
Mustafizur Rahman has been a bright spark for Bangladesh thus far in the World Cup, taking four wickets in three innings with a miserly economy rate of just 3.91. Only a mere six bowlers who've claimed at least one wicket can boast a more economical spell than him in the tournament.
