Fizz shows venom with the new ball

Mustafizur Rahman pointed to the sky knowingly, a smile spread across his face. The delivery to Rahmat Shah, only his second of the first ODI against Afghanistan, got him a wicket. But it was the satisfaction in execution of his plan that brought assuredness for Bangladesh's 'cuttermaster', who managed his first four-for in ODIs yesterday in over a year's time.

The last-moment cocking of the wrist, just before the point of delivery, angled to leave the right-hander from over the wicket, worked its charm. The delivery moved just slightly outward, taking the edge and through to Mushfiqur Rahim's gloves. The other important bit in that delivery, of course, was the length. Mustafizur bowled it three-quarter length, just enough to induce a shot but not enough for the batter's feet to adjust to middle the shot as he found the nick.

Left-handed Sediqullah Atal got one that nipped back in sharply, the length again full enough to induce the drive but movement also sharp enough to trap the batter in front. The 29-year-old pacer made it three wickets in two overs with another gem of a delivery, which moved away sharply from Azmatullah Omarzai, taking the nick through to the wicketkeeper. All three deliveries that got him wickets had that wrist position to thank for.

Since the start of the 2023 ODI World Cup, Mustafizur's form has been under scrutiny. In 11 matches he has averaged 50, his strike-rate just short of 50. His career average of 25.98 and strike-rate of 30.1 show that the champion pacer has suffered greatly during this period.

He went wicketless in four World Cup matches but it was the expensive spells against the big sides that hurt the left-arm pacer. But what possibly was becoming a point of concern was how ineffective he often looked with the new ball, bar that one match against New Zealand in Chennai at the World Cup. In the 11 matches from the start of that World Cup in India, the left-armer has managed more than one wicket just twice.

Yesterday, his first three wickets had come with the new ball. He and Taskin Ahmed left Afghanistan in trouble at 71 for five in 20 overs.

Mustafizur, allowed to attack with the new ball, found a new avenue where he did not altogether have to rely on the cutters.

A 104-run stand between Hashmatullah Shahidi and Mohammad Nabi allowed Afghanistan to get out of trouble. It would be Bangladesh bowlers' only negative in the match as they were not able to break that all-important partnership sooner. Both Taskin and Mustafizur went for over 50 runs but Shoriful Islam, the other pacer, kept things nice and tight.

From Afghanistan's point of view, despite Taskin and Mustafizur's four-fors, the fightback had been effective, especially how Nabi managed to keep Taskin at bay.

Nabi and Shahidi would have hurt Bangladesh more in the death overs had Mustafizur not removed the Afghan skipper in the 41st over as Afghanistan were eventually bowled out for 235 in the final over.

More than the four-for, however, Mustafizur would be keen on building on his work after the ball did the talking for him in Sharjah.