Time running out for Mustafiz

Mustafizur Rahman made his debut in Twenty20 Internationals but was shot to international fame when he picked up 11 wickets in his first two One-Day Internationals, ripping through the Indian batting lineup.

The next year was golden, his twisting wrist tying the batters around the globe in a knot until his left shoulder gave up.

Since that injury, the Fizz lost his charm a tad, but yet, managed to keep being the Tigers’ premier pacer as he finished the 2019 World Cup with 20 wickets.

However, the scene has changed with another World Cup fast approaching as the pacer is struggling to find his form in the 50-over format and now sees his spot in the main XI, which has been guaranteed till now, compromised.

Since the 2019 World Cup, Mustafiz has seen all bowling metrics bar his economy in ODIs go down as the cutter master has found it tough to pick up regular wickets.

In this period, the Fizz has picked up 30 wickets in 30 matches with an average of 30.05 and a strike rate of 36.3, both higher than his career median (24.64 and 28.9 respectively).

In the last 12 months, the situation is even worse for the pacer as he has picked up only 10 wickets in 13 matches with his average and strike rate being 46.30 and 60.2 respectively.

His economy, though, has improved. Since the 2019 World Cup, his economy is 4.95, compared to 5.17 in the years up to that tournament.

While stats might often misguide, the eye doesn’t, and concerns regarding Mustafiz have risen due to his recent poor outings against England, following the inconsistency shown in the last year.

The first ODI against England was on a slow-ish and tacky pitch at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka, of the kind which suits the left-arm pacers’ cutters perfectly.

However, Mustafiz, brought into bowl in the 21st over when the ball seemed to be slowing down on the pitch, failed to make an impact on that pitch, giving away 42 runs without nicking off any English wicket, which led to the visitors gaining a three-wicket defeat despite a great effort from the other bowlers.

In the second match, the pitch was better, and Mustafiz was battered around by the England batters, giving away 63 runs in his quota of 10 overs.

In the previous series against India, he was not that bad, and especially good in the first ODI, giving away only 19 runs in his seven overs. In the second ODI, he had defended 20 runs in the final over against India skipper Rohit Sharma.

Nonetheless, the concern regarding Mustafiz is not about his economy, which has improved from his earlier years, but his wicket-taking ability, which seemed to be the fore of his sorcery in his budding years.

Bangladesh skipper Tamim Iqbal also pointed out that he wanted more offensive action from the left-arm pacer.

“It will not be right to say that I am not getting any service from him (Mustafiz). But I definitely want him to do better. If he takes wickets, it obviously helps the team, especially when we are playing with two pacers.

“His defensive skill is brilliant. If he can add wicket-taking to that, it will be great. I’m sure he knows that. He will keep working, and I hope he will be able to express himself in the next match,” Tamim said after their second ODI against England.

Still, the bigger question that lingers is that of Mustafiz’s place in the team and whether he will keep being an undisputed starter despite his poor recent form.

“To be honest, there is nothing called an auto-choice (in the XI). Even I am not that. If anybody doesn’t perform regularly, even if it’s me, I will not be in the team. But we indeed have a lot of confidence in him (Mustafiz). I think he will perform because he has in the past,” the Bangladesh skipper said on Mustafiz’s status in the team.

Alongside that, Tamim was hopeful that the Fizz will return to his best.

“No cricketer’s graph stays linear. It goes up and down. I believe in him a lot. I’m sure he will turn it around. I do not doubt it,” he said.

The Tigers will be hoping that their captain’s words turn true. With the World Cup knocking on the door, Bangladesh need Mustafiz at his best if they want to fight for the title or even the final four.