Ebadot Hossain banged in a short delivery aimed at the rib cage, but Saif Hassan was ready. The right-handed opener rocked back and dispatched a commanding pull over deep square leg. It was a fitting final flourish, the last of his eight sixes, in a magnificent unbeaten 138 that headlined the Best vs Rest practice match at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Monday.
Saif’s knock powered Team ‘A’ (Best) to a strong total of 292 for 7, eventually setting up a convincing 128-run victory over Team ‘B’ (Rest), who were bowled out for 164 in 36.4 overs.
Comprising players from Bangladesh’s ODI squad for the upcoming New Zealand series, Team ‘A’ saw their top order stumble early. Tanzid Hasan (7), Najmul Hossain Shanto (12), and Litton Das (9) fell cheaply, leaving the side reeling at 53 for 3. From there, Saif took control, anchoring the innings with authority across his 232-minute stay at the crease. He faced 133 deliveries and struck six fours alongside his eight sixes.
He found support in the middle order, with Afif Hossain contributing 34, skipper Mehidy Hasan Miraz adding a brisk 20 off 12 balls, and Tanzim Hasan Sakib chipping in with a late cameo of 27 from 13 deliveries on his return from a back injury.
In response, Team ‘B’ faltered early, losing their first five wickets for just 89 runs. Taskin Ahmed led the charge with the ball, striking with the very first delivery by removing Mahmudul Hasan Joy. He went on to finish with impressive figures of 4 for 27 from six overs.
Tanzim also made an impact, dismissing Mahidul Islam Ankon with a return catch before trapping Jaker Ali Anik lbw. Playing his first competitive match after recovering from a back injury, Tanzim showed encouraging signs and returned figures of 2 for 15 from five overs.
Taskin later came back to remove Shamim Patwari and Saif Uddin, before eventually wrapping up the innings by dismissing Khaled Ahmed to seal the comprehensive win.
Soumya Sarkar, one of the notable performers for Team ‘B’, scored a steady 55 off 85 balls and struck nine boundaries. Known for his aggressive stroke play, Soumya instead focused on strike rotation, though he did produce one standout moment, an elegant reverse sweep through the third-man region. However, his effort lacked support from the rest of the batting lineup.
Saif’s performance comes at a crucial time. Despite modest returns in the recent ODI series against Pakistan, with scores of 36, 12, and 4, he has retained the selectors’ backing for the New Zealand series, even ahead of Soumya, who had topped the charts in the West Indies series with 140 runs.
Chief selector Habibul Bashar had earlier indicated that the panel is continuing with plans set by the previous committee, and Saif’s innings offered a timely reminder of his potential to repay that faith.
Among the bowlers, spinners also made tidy contributions. Miraz claimed 2 for 37 from eight overs, while left-arm spinner Tanvir Islam picked up one wicket and conceded just 12 runs in his five overs.
Despite the dominant win, Bangladesh still have questions surrounding their top and middle order ahead of the New Zealand series starting on April 17. Tanzid, who recently struck a century in Mirpur, will be closely watched, while vice-captain Shanto continues his search for a defining innings. Litton Das, now assigned a middle-order role at number four, will also need to deliver with greater consistency.
Towhid Hridoy, currently dealing with a tennis elbow injury, remains under scrutiny, while Afif Hossain continues to receive backing from the team management. Meanwhile, sources suggest Mosaddek Hossain Saikat is being considered as a spin-bowling all-round option in the long-term plans for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
While the batting unit still seeks stability, the bowling attack appears to be in rhythm. With the race for direct qualification to the next World Cup intensifying, Bangladesh will take confidence from this dress rehearsal as they gear up for the ODI challenge against New Zealand.
