Magic Miraz does it again

It’s like England have become Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s favourite hunting side.

His international debut came against the English in 2016, and in the two Tests, he picked up 19 wickets, helping Bangladesh to their maiden win in the format.

And on Sunday, Miraz was once again in the fore as Bangladesh beat the current World Champions by four wickets to win their first-ever series against them.

Miraz, coming into the XI for this match after spending the first one on the bench, picked up four wickets giving away just 12 runs in his four overs with the ball, and then played a crucial knock of 20 runs that allowed Bangladesh to chase down the English total.

“The team management trusted me to play in this match. They thought I could give something to the team on this wicket. It feels very good to have repaid their faith in me,” an ecstatic Miraz said after the match.

The wicket on Sunday did offer some help for the spinners, but the vast difference in figures between him and the other spinners involved in the match spoke loads about the brilliance that the off-spinner implemented on the day.

“The conditions of Mirpur help the spinners a bit. As a spinner, I try to take that advantage. Maybe that works,” the all-rounder said.

Miraz’s wickets were all important for the team as his first got rid of Moeen Ali, who was just getting set. And then, in the same over, he dismissed Sam Curran, who could have launched a few into the crowd, and Chris Woakes, both by beating them with the turn. Then, in his final over, he got rid of Chris Jordan, another one of the English players who can hit it big.

Then, Miraz walked in at number five, ahead of skipper Shakib Al Hasan and Afif Hossain, when Bangladesh were in trouble losing Towhid Hridoy.

The all-rounder had already proved his mettle with the bat in the India series, where he gained his maiden ODI hundred, but on a tricky pitch on Sunday, Miraz hit two sixes, one off Moeen and one off leg-spinner Adil Rashid. The one against Rashid was especially spectacular as he launched it over extra cover for the maximum.

“I tried to play for my team. I scored 20 runs. It helped the team a lot,” he said in the post-match press conference.