'Fizz's IPL experience will help him play well in the national team'

Bangladesh will take to the field against Zimbabwe in the first T20 of the series today at 6 PM. Even though Mustafizur Rahman has returned home from the IPL, he is not included in the squad for the first three T20 matches. However, Fizz is still on everyone's mind. Zimbabwean captain Sikandar Raza also agrees that IPL experience will greatly benefit Mustafizur. Earlier, the Bangladesh captain praised his teammate Fizz, placing high hopes on this star pacer.

Left-arm pacer Mustafizur, who played 9 matches for Chennai, had an impressive season. Even in his last match against Punjab, he was eye-catching with the ball, although it was the first time in 9 matches he went wicketless. Returning home after claiming 14 wickets at an economy rate of 9.26 per over in the tournament, Fizz has certainly made an impact.

Will Mustafizur Rahman's IPL performance benefit the national team in their upcoming assignments? Responding to such questions at a press conference in Chittagong yesterday, Najmul Hossain Shanto said, "Of course, it will be beneficial. I believe the environment he played in and the size of the tournament he participated in are significant. Naturally, performing well there builds confidence. He bowled against some of the top batters and performed well on good wickets. He will surely bring that confidence with him. If he can replicate that performance here, our team will definitely progress."

It was already known that Mustafizur Rahman's journey in the Indian Premier League (IPL) would end on May 1 with his last match, as the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had granted him a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) only up to that date. BCB wanted him back home earlier for the series against Zimbabwe and as preparation for the upcoming World Cup. Although some argued that it would be more beneficial for Mustafizur to stay in the IPL rather than play in the series against Zimbabwe.

Yesterday, Zimbabwean captain Sikandar Raza commented on his IPL debut and Mustafizur's journey, saying, "The IPL is one of the biggest leagues. Alhamdulillah, I had the opportunity to play there. Whoever plays in the IPL, the experience, learning, and confidence gained there will definitely benefit the national team. Even those who only play franchise cricket will benefit from the IPL experience. So, I am sure that Fizz (Mustafizur) bhai's IPL experience will help him perform well in the national team."