Simmons Doesn’t Blame Miraz, Plans to Nurture Nahid Rana

After Bangladesh's series loss to Afghanistan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz's slow-paced innings faced criticism. Critics argued that his 66-run knock from 119 balls in the final ODI in Sharjah cost Bangladesh a big total.

However, Bangladesh’s head coach Phil Simmons disagreed with the critics. According to him, Miraz took more balls to settle on the pitch. As Mahmudullah played an aggressive innings at the other end, Miraz's slower play helped build the partnership.

“Their partnership actually went well. They were doing well in the beginning and got set at the crease. Often, when forming a partnership, it takes time. While Miraz played cautiously, Mahmudullah played aggressively, so their partnership worked out well,” Simmons explained.

Mahmudullah Riyad scored 98 runs off 98 balls before being run out on the last ball. Speaking about his innings, Simmons said, “It was a fantastic innings. He didn’t score in the first two innings, but today he stayed at one end and batted throughout. Once he settled, he scored easily. It was a great innings in my opinion.”

In the third ODI against Afghanistan, fast bowler Nahid Rana made his international debut, bowling 10 overs, conceding 40 runs, and taking 2 wickets. However, it was his pace that garnered more attention than the statistics. Impressed by Rana’s pace, Simmons commented:

“Actually, the way I see it, pace is something you can’t buy from the market. You can’t teach someone to bowl fast. He has this natural talent. We will try our best to nurture this exciting talent. He’s an exciting player with a great attitude and bowling speed. It was amazing to watch him play, and we’ll work on developing him.”

Looking forward to the upcoming West Indies series, Simmons expressed his expectations, saying, “The two-Test series against South Africa didn’t go well, and neither did this series. The ODI series in St. Kitts will have similar conditions to here. I can’t really say what the conditions will be like in St. Vincent. The Tests will be played in Antigua and Jamaica. The players are looking forward to the series. Unfortunately, we have a few injury concerns, but we’ll have to fight from here and try to make the most of our opportunities.”