Safar Ali's Delight After a One-Year Wait: A Fifer in the National Cricket League

On one end, Ebadat, and on the other, Khaled! Raja and Tanzim Sakib are fighting for the place left vacant by Rahi. Raja has been quite successful and has now become the key pace bowler for Sylhet, replacing Rahi. In this fierce competition among these five pacers, securing a spot in Sylhet's pace department is extremely challenging. If an opportunity arises, it must be seized with both hands. If this chance is taken, the player will stay in the team; otherwise, they will be left waiting for another opportunity. However, amidst the star pacers like Khaled, Ebadat, Sakib, and Raja, Sylhet's Safar Ali has not faded into the background.

Safar has kept himself prepared for the team's needs. So, when he got a chance in the last match of the year, he made sure not to let it slip. With a five-wicket haul against Rajshahi Division, Safar finally ended his long wait and made a strong impression.

In Sylhet's star-packed pace attack, players like Safar get the opportunity to play only one or two matches per year. If they fail to perform, there’s a constant risk of being dropped from the team. In this context, playing well is the only option. If the opportunity comes after a long wait, it must be taken carefully. Safar did exactly that, taking a fifer in his first match after a long break.

In 2023, Safar made his debut in the National Cricket League, and in his second match in first-class cricket, he was given a chance to play in the last match of the year. After waiting a whole year, he finally made the most of this opportunity by dismissing five batsmen from Rajshahi Division.

Safar's five wickets started with SM Mehrab Hossain (8), followed by dismissing centurion Sabbir Hossain (116), Forhad (7), Wasi Siddique (2), and Nihaduzzaman (2). He took his first fifer in this match, and in the second innings, he claimed three more wickets.

Safar was very pleased with his first fifer in first-class cricket. He found inspiration for future performances through this achievement. How did Safar keep himself prepared amid so many star pacers in Sylhet? Reflecting on his first fifer in the Sylhet division, Safar said, “Alhamdulillah, I feel good. I’ve worked on keeping myself fit during the off-season, so even after a long break, I didn’t face any issues playing.”

In Sylhet's pace-heavy squad, getting a chance to play is challenging for young pacers like Safar. With established pacers such as Ebadat Hossain, Khaled Ahmed, and Rezaur Rahman Raja, getting into the team is a tough task. Safar admits that it is a significant challenge, stating, “Everyone in Sylhet is a national team pacer. They are all tested, and getting a chance while they are around is very difficult. But once the opportunity arises, I have to perform well, otherwise, I won't be able to stay in the team.”

Safar began his cricket journey in 2017 with Udayachal Cricket Club in the Dhaka First Division Cricket League. In his very first match, he took 5 wickets against Rupganj Tigers, leading his team to victory. BCB curator Zahid Reza Babu shared his praise on Facebook, saying, "Sylhet's young pacer Safar Ali, with his incredible bowling, led Udayachal Club to victory against Rupganj Tigers in the Dhaka First Division Cricket League, taking 5 wickets in his debut match."

That year, Safar claimed another five-wicket haul, finishing with 13 wickets in 4 matches in the league. Since then, he has consistently performed well in the Dhaka First Division Cricket League and even won a title with City Club.

After participating in the National Cricket League camps from 2017, Safar had to wait a long time to wear the Sylhet jersey. In 2019, he was supposed to play but suffered an injury, breaking his finger while playing for City Club. Finally, after four long years, he made his debut in 2023. Mashrafe Bin Mortuza is his idol for swing bowling, while Abu Zayed Rahi is his role model for out-swinging deliveries. Safar has become proficient in in-swing deliveries as well. Reflecting on his bowling strengths, Safar mentioned, “I bowl outswing, and I can also bowl in-swing. I have a weapon in my old ball – my in-cutter, and that’s my strength. The wickets I got through LBW in this match were all from my in-cutters. The last wicket was from an outswing.”

As with his debut in the National Cricket League, Safar has been waiting a long time for a chance in the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League (DPL). Despite performing well in the Dhaka First Division Cricket League for many years, Safar has yet to make his DPL debut.

However, Safar is hopeful that his performance in the National Cricket League will help him get a spot in the DPL. He said, "I believe something good will come out of this, Inshallah."