Bangladesh pacer Shafiul Islam, who wreaked havoc on Zimbabwe by picking up four wickets in the third match of the five-match ODI series, said the return of Mashrafee bin Murtaza inspired him to do well.
‘Mashrafee finding his rhythm back is really good for both himself and the team that also boosted our confidence and I drew inspiration from him to get my four wickets,’ Shafiul told reporters before the practice session at the Chittagong divisional stadium on Wednesday.
‘In the last match we (pacers) were helped by the cloudy weather condition and the wicket. In the first two games we couldn’t pitch the ball in the right place for which, when the spinners were doing well, the captain did not call us to bowl,’ he added.
Shafiul and Rubel Hossain were in the winning team against the
New Zealand but Rubel, though he is in the 15-member squad, has yet to play a game against Zimbabwe.
‘It is the rule of the game, one will have to sit out for another to play. I think it is not possible for the team to play all the three pacers in a game. One has to miss out on a place in the first eleven,’ Shafiul said.
‘We are hopeful and confident of clinching the series after winning the second and the third ODIs,’ he added.
