Mustafiz reaches unique landmark
Adjudged man of the match on debut in both ODI and Test
Sports Reporter, CTG
Bangladesh new pace sensation Mustafizur Rahman was adjudged man of the match in the rain-hit first Test, making a unique landmark of being the best on debut in both ODI and Test cricket.
Having scripted the record, the 19-year old pacer opened a new chapter in the world cricket history. The lad from Satkhira claimed five for 50 against India in his ODI debut and grabbed four for 37, including three wickets in four deliveries against South Africa on Test debut.
Usually quiet in nature and smile like baby while taking wickets, Mustafizur was unaware about the record till the late afternoon yesterday. Knowing the magnitude of his record, he said, Its pleasure to be the part of the history. I am really happy to know this.
I always try to keep improving. The good performance against No 1 ranked team will definitely give me the inspiration to do well in the next time. Hopefully Ill continue my performance and help the team to win many matches.
A total 60 in ODI format and 40 in longer version had achieved the accolade of being man of the match in the first match.
Apart from Mustafizur, just one player Elias Sunnyalso from Bangladesh, was adjudged man of the match in two formats. But the left arm spinner Sunnys record came in Twenty20 and Test format. On his debut Test, Sunny scalped six for 79 against West Indies in 2011. That match was also a rained out to a draw. Sunny then claimed just one wicket on ODI debut in that year but in 2012 at Belfast he took five for just 13 on his Twenty20 debut against Ireland. That figure is still best for Bangladesh in T20.
Only two cricketers earlier from Bangladesh were adjudged man of the match in their Test debut. One is Javed Omar Belim for his 62 and 85, carrying the bat throughout the innings against Zimbabwe in 2001 and Mohammad Ashraful for his 114 against Sri Lanka in the same year. That century gave him the accolade of the youngest centurion, a record which still is intact.
Mustafizur stormed into the international cricket in Twenty20 against Pakistan in which he grabbed two for 20 which contributed in Bangladeshs seven wicket victory. But the man of the match was Sabbir Rahman.
His debut Twenty20 performance was seen as good performance from a pacer who is believed to have some mettle but everyone was a bit skeptic given the pacer of Bangladesh couldnt thrive for long.
He thereafter made his ODI debut against India and put up a sensational performance of taking five for 50, recording Bangladeshs 79-run victory over India. The performance gave him the accolade of matchs best but what surprised the whole world was his lethal cutter to which the Indian batsmen found them in out-of-sort and jaded state.
He was more dangerous for the Indian batsmen in the second match, having claimed six for 38 to be the bowler to take highest wickets in the first two matches.
The South African batsmen though dealt his cutter patiently and deprived him from taking more wickets in ODI series, Mustafizur humiliated them in the first Test on his debut.
The Proteas batsmen got it tough to handle him in slower surface and eventually broke down. He scythed down the Proteas middle order by snapping three wickets in four deliveries which decisively titled the match towards Bangladesh. He finished with four for 37.
