"I was telling Shoriful one thing, run even if you don't hit the ball"
Bangladesh needed six runs in the last over with the bat and Mehidy Hasan Miraz hit four from the first ball and two runs were needed from five balls. But that's when everything changed.
Man of the Match Towhid Hridoy and Shamim Hossain were on course for a comfortable Bangladesh victory by scoring 73 runs from 43 balls despite early setbacks in the first T20I against Afghanistan at Sylhet on Friday.
Bangladesh needed six runs in the last over with the bat and Mehidy Hasan Miraz hit four from the first ball and two runs were needed from five balls. But that's when everything changed.
Afghan pacer Karim Janat took a hat trick to send back Miraz, Taskin Ahmed and Nasum Ahmed. Two runs were needed off two balls and Shoriful Islam was on strike. Still, Hridoy did not lose faith, he trusted Shoriful who played he together with from age-level cricket. And Hridoy told him to run even if the ball does not hit the bat.
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Although he is a shrewd pacer, his batting abilities are lesser known. These two have been two of the most important members of Bangladesh's Youth World Cup-winning team. So the heart trusted Shoriful even in this difficult situation. Shoriful also repaid the faith by hitting four with one ball in hand to bring the team a thrilling two-wicket victory.
After telling Shoriful to run even if the ball is not hit, Hridoy also told him, "You will win us the match." Hridoy, who came to the press conference, said, "I had faith in everyone. Because, Taskin bhai, Nasum bhai, even Shoriful, all bat very well. In a match against England, after Taskin bhai hit two consecutive fours, we won the match."
"I already had faith in Shoriful, because I know his potential. We have played in the under-19 team together and he can hit big sixes. I believed so when Shariful came. I said one thing to Shariful, 'Run even if you don't hit the bat.' Then at the end, I said, 'You will win the match.'" added Hridoy.
However, he said that he was normal even after Karim's hat trick. In Hridioy's words, "I was normal. Because I knew we only needed two runs. If the ball hits the bat, it will be 1-2 runs. I tried to stay calm at that time. Since I was on the non-strikers' end, I tried to give my partners as much information as possible about what the bowler can bowl, that's all.'
