If there is one department that Bangladesh can pin their hopes on ahead of a major tournament is the pace unit -- given how fragile the Tigers' batting line-up has been in recent times. 

Hence, it is no surprise that Bangladesh will hope for their pace battery -- consisting of young pace sensation Nahid Rana alongside experienced Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman and another young gun Tanzim Hasan Sakib -- to leave a mark in the upcoming Champions Trophy, to be held in Pakistan and the UAE in a hybrid model later this month. 

While Taskin and Mustafizur remain the only two pacers from the current squad who have played in the previous edition of the global event back in 2017, the 22-year-old speedster Nahid will make a foray into his first ICC event through the upcoming Champions Trophy. 

Taskin will hope to pick up from where he had left off in the previous year -- the right-arm quick enjoyed his best year in international cricket in 2024, ranking third on the list of most wickets in a calendar year across formats behind just India's Jasprit Bumrah and Sri Lanka's Wanindu Hasaranga. 

Meanwhile, Nahid has played just three ODIs so far, but the pacer has already made heads turn with his unique capability of consistently clocking over 150 kph -- a trait that must come in handy in any major event. 

The duo of Nahid and Taskin seemed upbeat during Bangladesh's practice session in Mirpur yesterday and the Tigers would hope for their mood to only be jollier when they take on India in their first Champions Trophy match in Dubai on February 20.