Has Mustafizur Rahman forgotten his bamboozling ‘cutters’?
Mustafizur’s figures of none for 34 off 2.4 overs in Sunrisers Hyderabad's Indian Premier League match against Mumbai Indians posed questions about the shy Bangladeshi left-arm pacer.
However, SRH coach Tom Moody is not willing to believe that the talented youngster may not be at his best, primarily due to injury issues.
“I don’t think there is anything to do with his injury. He has been playing in a Test series and a one-day series against Sri Lanka. His form has been good in Sri Lanka. Like any bowler, in this format of the game, he can have an off day with the opponent getting on top of him. I still think he is effective like he has been in the past. It was not his day in Mumbai. I am sure his day will come shortly,” said Moody.
Mustafizur, too, was not concerned about his form. “In the first match, what I wanted did not happen. There was a bit of length problem and I could not bowl in the areas I wanted,” he said here on Friday, ahead of SRH’s match against Kolkata Knight Riders.
The 21-year-old assured that his deadly off-cutters had not gone anywhere. “Cutters depend on pitches. If the strip is dry and it's a day match, like it is tomorrow, there is a chance that you will get to see them.”
On the prospect of bowling on a seamer-friendly Eden Gardens track, Mustafizur said, “If the pitch is good, we will definitely do well. We have a strong pace bowling unit. If the ball turns, it is good for me… I have no problem in bowling anywhere. I can do the job anywhere.”
Asked about his idol and fellow pacer Mashrafe Mortaza’s retirement from T20 cricket, Mustafizur said, “Not just me, all of us will miss him. When Mashrafe
bhai is around, he is of great support to us. Now he has retired from T20s, but will continue to play the one-dayers.”
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