Rubel Hossain came out of nowhere to become a hero, claiming a hat-trick and taking six wickets to help Bangladesh crush New Zealand by 43 runs in the first One-Day International in Dhaka on Tuesday. After an unimpressive Test series, Rubel was not the best bet for Bangladesh to put up a match-winning performance, and that too in a crunch situation with the tide gradually turning the opposition’s way.
But the lanky paceman did the unexpected, claiming the hat-trick and finishing 6-26, the best ever figures for Bangladesh, equaling the record of mercurial paceman Mashrafee bin Murtaza.
Compared to the situation and the quality of opponents, however, Rubel’s effort was far superior to that of Mashrafee, who tore apart a helpless Kenyan line-up to take 6-26 in Nairobi in 2006.
Rubel, who became only the third Bangladeshi to complete an ODI hat-trick after Shahadat Hossain and Abdur Razzak, now has two back-to-back man-of-the-match awards against New Zealand in ODIs.
He claimed 4-24 in the last match Bangladesh played against New Zealand in 2010, helping Bangladesh eke out a three-run win and complete an unprecedented series sweep over the Kiwis.
‘I enjoy bowling against them,’ Rubel told reporters after Tuesday’s win.
‘Every bowler tries to do well, and probably today was my day and luck also favored me, by the grace of Allah,’ said Rubel, who took the wickets of Corey Anderson, Brendon McCullum and James Neesham on his way to his hat-trick.
‘When my skipper handed me the ball for the second spell he asked me to contain them and said if I bowl in the right areas I will be able to get the rewards.’
Rubel claimed the wicket of Ross Taylor before rain and added Nathan McCullum and Grant Elliot after his hat-trick, meaning he had added the entire backbone of New Zealand’s team to his tally.
‘At that point the pitch was hit by slight drizzle and the ball turned when the slower-ball was bowled with occasional bounces, and that gave the pace bowlers some benefit if he is bowling straight,’ said Rubel, explaining his hat-trick.
Rubel said that he was confident of doing well in the series after performing well in the Dhaka Premier League, where he is the leading wicket-taker with 19 wickets from five matches.
His league performance includes two five-wicket hauls and a hat-trick. Rubel was unaware of his feat on the day he took his league hat-trick against Brothers Union at the BKSP, but this time it was seen by all – in the gallery, in front of television sets and beyond.
The DPL gave him the perfect confidence boost ahead of the New Zealand series after his injury-plagued season in 2012.
‘After the shoulder operation I was left out for several months to recover, during which I did a lot of rehab,’ said Rubel.
‘Later I sustained another injury, so the DPL performance gave me the confidence to return to my former self,’ he added.
-With New Age input
