Opening batsman Shamsur Rahman Shuvo was a picture of assurance against New Zealand in the third and final one-day international at Fatullah on Sunday, striking an adventurous yet responsible 96 from 107 deliveries. Despite missing out on his maiden hundred in just his second ODI, Bangladesh went on to sweep the three-match series and notched their seventh successive win over the Kiwis.
Opening the innings with hard-hitting batsman Ziaur Rahman, Shamsur smashed exquisite boundaries and powerful sixes all over the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium. He gave every indication that Bangladesh may have unearthed another fine and talented opener to complement the swashbuckling Tamim Iqbal.
The right-handed opener from Comilla did not look out of place at the post-match briefing either, as he milked the praise from reporters after the game ended. Shamsur appeared to justify the faith shown in him by the selectors.
However, Shamsur has not quite had things all his own way so far in his career.
The 25-year old was picked for the Bangladesh squad for the ICC World Twenty20 in England four years ago but had to be content with a place on the bench as competition for places was intense.
Four years later Shamsur was again selected to the national side, this time for a Twenty20 international against Sri Lanka in March.
Bad luck seemed to follow him, as an erroneous leg-before decision from the umpire brought a premature end to his Twenty20 debut.
Shamsur, however, made amends in the very next T20 against Zimbabwe, smashing a fifty to launch his career.
His ODI debut came when he made 25 in the second one-dayer against the Kiwis on Thursday, but everyone knew he was capable of much more than that.
Shamsur wasted little time in announcing his arrival on the ODI scene, smashing seven fours and four sixes in his knock of 96.
‘Maybe in the past I did not make the side due to the team combination,’ Shamsur said at the post-match briefing.
‘Still, I never lost hope. Confidence always increases after scoring runs and domestic experience also helps. So I kept on piling the runs in domestic cricket. Thankfully my chance came.
‘This was the first time I was not nervous after reaching the 90s as I was rather thinking about the team and the target. All we needed were partnerships going for us.’
Shamsur also spared a thought for fellow opener Anamul Haque, whom he replaced in the line-up for the final two ODIs against the Kiwis.
‘[Anamul Haque] Bijoy is a very good player. I’m sure he will come back to form in no time.’
‘He has showed it in the past and he can do it again,’ Shamsur added.
-With New Age input
