Captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz walked in for the toss at 10:30 AM at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Mirpur. Everything was set, routine and rhythm intact. Yet, in the first ODI of the three-match series against New Zealand on Friday, time paused for a brief and curious moment. Nearly a minute and a half slipped by in silence.
Then came the stir. Head coach Phil Simmons hurried toward Miraz, urgency in his steps. Moments later, he crossed paths with New Zealand coach Rob Walter and match referee Andy Pycroft. The toss stood still, suspended in confusion, leaving the ground and the press box searching for answers.
When the coin finally went up, Tom Latham called it right and chose to bat first. But even as the game began, a quiet change had already unfolded behind the scenes. The initial team sheet handed out by the BCB media department had Mustafizur Rahman in the XI. Minutes later, another sheet arrived, this time without him.
Questions rippled through the press box. The answer came soon after.
Team manager Nafees Iqbal, in a voice message, explained, “Mustafizur felt a bit of discomfort in his right knee during the warm-up, so the decision was made just before the toss that he wouldn’t play today. Shoriful Islam has been included in the XI as his replacement.”
Shoriful Islam, playing his first ODI since December 10, 2024 against West Indies, did not take long to leave his mark. His figures read 10-2-27-2, with 42 dot balls stitched into that spell like quiet dominance.
He began with a short-of-a-length delivery, clocking 129.9 km/h, a reflection of his recently adjusted approach. The plan worked. Nick Kelly tried to clear the leg side, but the ball found the inside edge and undone him, a moment of subtle deception.
On a sticky Mirpur surface, Shoriful kept the New Zealand top order in a state of hesitation. He blended lengths and pace, shifting between fuller deliveries, good length, and the occasional bouncer. At times he pulled his length back, inviting movement and uncertainty.
Take Will Young. In the ninth over, he edged a harder-length delivery on one, only for Saif Hassan to drop the chance at first slip. The ball had just enough movement to create doubt. Shoriful deserved the wicket, even if luck did not follow.
He continued to ask questions, often pitching fuller to tempt the drive. The New Zealand batters chose caution, resisting the invitation. Until Muhammad Abbas decided otherwise.
On the fourth ball of the 37th over, Shoriful angled it from around the wicket, just outside the sixth stump line. Abbas, already uneasy through a patient 29-ball stay, reached out for a cover drive. The extra bounce told the story. The edge carried cleanly to Litton Das behind the stumps.
In an attack where Nahid Rana brought raw pace and Taskin Ahmed leaned on speed and bounce, Shoriful offered contrast. Variation, control, and a sense of rhythm that suited the surface. It proved valuable, perhaps decisive, born from a last-minute twist of fate.
Not long ago, Shoriful was part of the squad against Pakistan, yet remained on the sidelines. He had come in as injury cover for Tanzim Hasan Sakib, waiting in the background, carrying drinks, passing messages, unseen in the larger script.
He was meant to wait again. Instead, under the Mirpur sun, he found himself called into the story. An accidental inclusion, perhaps. But on this day, he bowled as if it had always been written.
It’s not yet certain whether Shoriful will get another game in the series. But Saif Hassan, who scored 57 in a losing cause, said in the press conference, “But no matter what you say, a team player may or may not play, but I think everyone stays prepared for matches. So he had already kept himself ready in terms of preparation.”
Saif also praised Shoriful after his impactful performance following a 16-month absence. “You all can see Shoriful is bowling very well. He has given less than 30 runs in 10 overs,” Saif said, highlighting his adaptability. “I think he has been able to adjust quickly to how to bowl on this wicket, and he is bowling really well.”
