Mahedi Hasan: ‘I am always confident in my ability to bounce back’

Just into his third T20 game, a 22-year-old unheralded off-spinner, playing for Comilla Victorians, was up against two of the most destructive players in the world with the new ball in hand. Mahedi Hasan, who had bowled only one over before that in the format, bowled 10 dot balls to Chris Gayle and Brendon McCullum in two overs before getting rid of the latter in his third over. 

Fast forward seven years and now Mahedi is one of Bangladesh's best T20I bowlers and a capable batter. He is currently the second-highest wicket-taker in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) playing for Rangpur Riders with an economy rate of just 6.4. Eight out of 12 of his wickets so far have come in the powerplay. 

The 29-year-old has established himself as Bangladesh's go-to man especially with the new ball and Mahedi says "confidence and courage" help him do the job when just two fielders are outside the circle.

He has bowled more than 53% of his overs in T20s in the powerplay and is a highly successful operator in this phase with an economy rate of just 6.28 which is much lower than the other two phases.

"Bowling in the powerplay is nothing new to me," Mahedi tells The Business Standard. "I've been bowling in the powerplay since the start of my List A career. From that time, my coaches and teammates had that confidence in me. I am always confident in my ability to bounce back after getting hit for runs."

Hailing from Khulna, the cricketer recognises the 2017 BPL game as the watershed moment of his career. "That was my third BPL game. It was a career-changing match for me. That's when the confidence and courage started to grow in me."

Since 2020, he has maintained an economy rate of less than seven an over every year in T20 cricket. He has started 2024 on a great note but Mahedi is focused on playing well throughout the year that features a T20 World Cup as well.

"Always a great feeling to do well. Now the focus is on finishing on a high. It's all about finishing the season well. I'm thinking positively."

Mahedi bowls extensively in the powerplay and at the death as well which is why he often pushes it through, bowls at a flatter trajectory and delivers balls like the wide yorker to prevent boundaries. The variations have helped him become an all-phase bowler. In his 41-match T20I career, he conceded more than 40 in a spell just once.

How he bowls mostly in T20s is much unlike a traditional off-spinner but he does what the "situation" tells him to.

"Look, I also try to give flight and turn the ball," says the off-spinner. "But the situation doesn't let you do this all the time. As a bowler, I don't have all the weapons. So I have to understand my limitations, read the situation and bowl accordingly."

Coaches like him because of his all-round ability. Russell Domingo, who left his job as Bangladesh head coach in late 2022, tagged him as a "three in one" cricketer. He shares a longstanding relationship with the current head coach Chandika Hathurusingha. 

In 2006, Mahedi bowled in the nets of the United Arab Emirates team in Khulna. Hathurusingha, the head coach of the UAE at that time, noticed him and gave him a practice bat and a pat on the back. 

"I shared with him that incident later and he remembers it," he recalls. "I didn't even start bowling with the cricket ball at that point. [Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium] was basically my backyard. That day marked the start of my cricketing journey. My life as a cricketer started in his hands."

Mahedi batted at number three on his List A debut and smacked an 89-ball-103 to win the Player of the Match award. He batted at the top order multiple times in the BPL.

Interestingly, he is one of the select group of players to bat in all positions - from opening to number 11 - in T20s. He is now trying to prepare himself as a lower-order hitter and now working closely with Rangpur batting coach Shahriar Nafees.

"It's tough for a cricketer like me to have a fixed position. In the BPL, I prefer batting up the order. But in international cricket, I have to play at number seven or eight to be honest. I want to improve this aspect of my game."

"He [Nafees] is an experienced campaigner. I like to work with him. I worked with him whenever he was in the same team as me in domestic cricket. He has a great quality of sharing knowledge with youngsters. He knows me and my batting for a long time and so it becomes easy for him."

Mahedi shares the dressing room at the Rangpur Riders with legendary finger spinners like Shakib Al Hasan, Mohammad Nabi and spin-bowling coach Mohammad Rafique. Mahedi, who is now quite an experienced cricketer himself, picks their brains and shares his knowledge in turn too.

"I have a longstanding relationship with Shakib bhai. Of course, he is always there in international cricket. Nabi bhai tells me if there is anything wrong. Shakib bhai is always talking. Suppose, if he does something wrong, I tell him and vice versa. I have known Nabi bhai since our Comilla Victorians days. The environment is such that we can share our knowledge with each other," he says.

Mahedi picked up eight wickets in eight matches at an economy rate of just 6.1 in the 2021 T20 World Cup but missed out on a spot in the next event. His international T20 numbers are better than domestic cricket and takes wickets more frequently away from home. The off-spinner thrives on pressure and hopes to do well in the T20 World Cup in June. 

"The World Cup is three-four months away. There is always an opportunity to do well. Personally I feel I have a bigger opportunity in an ICC event. I have not done badly in the two major tournaments. I am always excited to perform well in such events," he signs off.