Salahuddin backs Mustafiz

Despite an expensive outing at the Asian Games, Bangladesh head coach Mohammad Salahuddin remains confident in Mustafizur Rahman, insisting the left-arm pacer will continue to be backed as the team’s death-overs specialist.

Mustafiz, Bangladesh’s leading wicket-taker in T20 internationals, reached 163 wickets in 130 matches on Wednesday, drawing level with Sri Lanka leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga. Only New Zealand’s Tim Southee (164) and Ish Sodhi (165), England’s Adil Rashid (171) and Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan (197) have taken more wickets in the format.

However, Mustafiz struggled badly at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. He conceded 41 runs in two overs against Pakistan in the semi-final, including 23 in the 10th over, as Bangladesh’s hopes of reaching the final faded.

He was even more expensive in the bronze-medal match against Sri Lanka, conceding 43 runs in three overs, including 25 in the 14th over. Across the two matches, Mustafiz took three wickets but conceded 84 runs at an alarming economy rate of 16.80.

Yet Salahuddin has no plans to abandon the experienced pacer.

“We are playing with five bowlers. Saif Hassan, our sixth bowling option, has also bowled well. Fizz is our death-overs specialist. We still have faith in him,” Salahuddin said.

Asked whether Mustafiz would continue to receive the team’s backing if his struggles persisted, Salahuddin added: “Even if he fails further, we will probably continue to back him in the same way.”

Mustafiz was not the only frontline bowler to disappoint. Leg-spinner Rishad Hossain also endured a costly campaign, taking two wickets in 6.3 overs while conceding 58 runs.

Rishad’s figures in the bronze-medal match against Sri Lanka read 4-0-46-1, with his 15th over costing 21 runs. His economy rate across the two matches was 11.50.