“This kid is special, very special,” praised Tareq Aziz Khan, former Bangladesh pacer and bowling coach of the Under-17 team, about Rakibul Hossain, the leg spinner who can also bat in the middle order. Rakibul claimed the man of the match award against Sri Lanka in a three-day encounter at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Mirpur, on Saturday.
He produced a game-changing spell of 10.4-2-32-4 while defending 265 runs in the fourth innings and dismissed Sri Lanka’s last hope, Sanul Weeraratne, who scored 61 off 134 balls. Bangladesh won the match by 27 runs. Earlier, Rakibul batted for 130 balls to score 41, sharing a crucial 92-run partnership with Junayed Hossain to take the team past 260.
Rakibul, yet another promising leg spinner following in the footsteps of Rishad Hossain, is not as tall as Rishad but shares the same ambition of reaching the national team. Hailing from a cricket-loving family, his elder brother Shakil represented Bangladesh U-19, while his late father was a strong supporter of his cricketing journey.
Emerging from Chandpur and growing up in Dhaka, Rakibul spoke exclusively to Daily Times of Bangladesh, sitting in the dugout of the home team at SBNCS, reflecting a mix of humility and determination.
Rakibul’s cricketing journey began alongside his elder brother, Shakil, “My brother has had a passion for cricket since he was a kid. I joined him and played with him,” Rakibul recalls. Their late father was also a guiding presence until his passing in 2016. “When my father was alive, he used to play with me. After he passed, I started my professional journey.”
That journey began in the 2016 under-12 carnival, followed by appearances in 2018 and 2019. Despite the interruption caused by the Covid pandemic, Rakibul pressed on, later representing Dhaka Metro at the under-14 level.
Rakibul spoke about the mentors who shaped his game. “Chotan sir is my favourite coach. He helped me a lot. But the best coach in my cricket life, my guru, is Ashfaqur Rahman Jony. He raised me since I was a kid. I still practice with him.”
He moved steadily through the ranks, representing Bangladesh Under-15 twice before playing in the Under-17 squad. Playing in Mirpur, he says, was always a dream. “Now it is fulfilled. I claimed the man of the match award here.”
Though naturally a left-handed batsman, Rakibul’s path to leg-spin began under the guidance of his brother. “My brother told me to try leg spin. He said, ‘There is talent in you. It is good if you can bowl continuously.’ I started practicing, and he guided me from there. He is my second coach.”
The challenges of leg-spin, he says, lie in focus and self-belief rather than technical hurdles. “I don’t think too much. My coach gives me a plan, and I stay in the process. Sometimes, I get overconfident, but I experiment and believe in myself. If I want, I can bowl like I want.”
He draws inspiration from both international and domestic role models. “Sandeep Lamichhane is someone I like. I also watched Shane Warne. In a four-month camp, Mahabub Ali Zaki Sir showed me Warne’s bowling, leg-spin, flipper, topspin. I just followed it a bit.”
Among his peers, Rishad Hossain stands out. “I like him more than others. He is dominating in white-ball cricket and has changed the path for upcoming leggies. When I bowl leg-spin, I feel good. I hope I may get an opportunity.”
Rakibul remains focused on becoming a true all-rounder. “First focus is on batting. The second skill is leg-spin. I hope that will bring me the opportunity to play for the National Team. I want to be an all-rounder so everyone can see me.”
His recent heroics in Mirpur reflected that dedication. “To be honest, as a batter I like to hit big. I don’t like to defend that much, though I had to bat defensively. My partner, Junaid, supported me a lot. Both our partnerships helped the team get a good lead. My only target was to bat as long as I could. Our communication was clear.”
Though Chandpur is his birthplace, Rakibul grew up in Dhaka. “I have never really been to Chandpur, but Dhaka has been my home ground for cricket.”
