Sports Desk:

The long wait of 13 months finally ended for Bangladesh’s pace-bowling all-rounder Mohammad Saifuddin.

After claiming 15 wickets in 9 matches in the BPL 2024, he earned a call-up for the T20I series against Zimbabwe ahead of the World Cup. Despite picking up 8 wickets in 4 matches in that series, he couldn’t make it to the World Cup squad.

Since then, it has been a turbulent period for Saifuddin. Though he got a chance in the ‘A’ team, he took leave to stay beside his expecting wife. He was also selected for Canada’s Global T20 League but couldn’t go due to visa complications. Later, he took a two-month break from cricket citing mental fatigue.

Upon his return in this year’s BPL, he couldn’t produce anything extraordinary. Playing for Rangpur Riders, Saifuddin bagged 12 wickets in 12 innings and scored 111 runs from 8 innings at a strike rate of 158.31. Despite the modest performance, he has been recalled to the Bangladesh squad for the three-match T20I series in Sri Lanka.

Speaking to journalists before flying out, Saifuddin said, “First of all, the journey was very long, as you all know. I got the opportunity in the national team after 13 months. Earning an opportunity is one thing, but securing a place is much harder. That’s what I’ll be trying for. Since I attended a few camps in Mirpur and Chattogram, I tried to perform well. Opportunities definitely help a cricketer. I also tried to give my best in the camps and in the practice matches, though I don’t know how much I succeeded.”

So far, Saifuddin has played 38 T20Is for Bangladesh, taking 42 wickets. With the bat, he has scored 206 runs in 21 innings.

When asked if he has added any new weapons to his bowling arsenal, Saifuddin said, “I have worked on the things I already had. Yorker, variation, line and length—these things. Nazmul bhai was present during the bowling camp; I talked to him as well. Overall, I have tried. Let’s see what happens.”

Saifuddin now seems equally focused on contributing with the bat. “If you look at Tanzim Sakib’s batting in the last match, his short cameo helped the Bangladesh team. If you see, the England team plays with two to three pace-bowling all-rounders. The more all-rounders play, the better it is for the team, for the country. I will definitely try to do well—be it in batting or bowling. There are others who are pace-bowling all-rounders, and if they can bat well, it will be good for the team.”

The three matches of the T20I series between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will take place on 10, 13 and 16 July.