Miraz's performance in Khulna win is sign of a big player: Taijul

Fortune Barishal's left-arm spinner Taijul Islam praised his teammate Mehedi Hasan Miraz's match-winning effort with the bat in his side's five-wicket win over Khulna Tigers in a Bangladesh Premier League fixture in Sylhet yesterday, saying Miraz's blistering knock is a sign of him becoming a 'big player'. 

Miraz's blistering unbeaten 15-ball 31 saw him smash three sixes and a four as he along with Shoaib Malik (25-ball 41) managed to take the Khulna bowlers for 37 runs in the final two overs of the match to chase down a 156-run target. 

"If you have noticed, Miraz has done it before and it's not new for him. It's a big thing to come into bat in such a situation and to play such a knock. It is definitely a sign of a big player," Taijul told the media.

Barishal needed 18 runs in the final over and Miraz was up to the task. He smashed a six off the first delivery bowled by Dasun Shanaka and then took a single off the next. It was up to Malik, who obliged as he finished off proceedings with a six and then a four in the next two balls.

"We were on the back foot for 70 percent of the innings right up until 12th and 13th over. We had to make a comeback from that situation. So, yes, there was tension in the dressing room," Taijul said. 

Miraz has been in good touch in the ongoing BPL. The right-hander has scored 101 runs in five innings at a strike rate of 180 for Barishal so far.