Saifuddin was feeling Nervous

Bangladesh clinched victory against Zimbabwe by 8 wickets in the first match of the series. After a long time, Mohammad Saifuddin adorned the national team jersey and stepped onto the field. He carried his performance with a sense of familiarity. While the opportunity to bat didn't come, he managed to take 3 wickets in just 4 overs, conceding 15 runs. Coming to the press conference after the match, he expressed his feelings with enthusiasm.

After a long time, Saifuddin felt some pressure within himself due to the return. However, the familiar conditions of Chittagong provided him with a strong sense of self-belief. Having recently played in the BPL and engaged in senior cricket, at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, that experience came to his aid. He remarked, "Alhamdulillah. You see, we played in the BPL here a few days ago. We know the conditions. Chittagong is always familiar to me. Whenever I play at this level here, I've always performed well on this wicket. So, understanding the conditions has been easy for me."

Ahead lies the T20 World Cup. Every team desires a pace bowling all-rounder. Saifuddin knows how to bowl in tough times. Moreover, there's a reputation to maintain when it comes to scoring runs during crucial times in the match. Bangladesh would want such a player in their team. So, when asked about his confidence regarding the T20 World Cup, he said, "Yes, definitely. To tell the truth, I was quite nervous today (laughs). I've played a lot of international cricket before, but I wasn't nervous. Doing well today was very important for me. Since Fizz (Mustafizur Rahman) will be back after 2 matches. What will happen in the eleventh, the management knows. It was very challenging for me. Alhamdulillah, I tried my best to deliver well. It feels good to do better. There are still 4 more matches left. Will try to excel further."

Facing Zimbabwe in the second match of the series on May 5 at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong, Saifuddin will at least strive to perform equally well with both bat and ball. So that the paths ahead become easier.