Published on 12:40 PM, July 13, 2022

Previous Guyana experience helped Miraz keep things simple

Bangladesh off-spinner Mehedi Hasan Miraz celebrates taking a wicket. Photo: AFP

Bangladesh spinner Mehedi Hasan Miraz bagged the player of the match award in the first ODI that saw theTigers pick up their first win in the ongoing Windies series following losses in both Test and T20I series. He banked on his experience of bowling at Guyana to overcome not only Windies' power-hitting but also his side's lack of preparations heading into the ODI series.

Miraz got all three vital batters in the West Indies lineup caught in his spin web. First, he sent back the dangerous Kyle Mayers before getting the better off Rovman Powell and Nicholas Pooran in his later spell. Despite Shoriful Islam bagging four wickets in the match, Miraz's three-for saw him get the player of the match award.

The spinner divulged on his planning for the ODI series in order to help his side recover during the tour. The Bangladesh team's practice sessions had to be put off since their arrival in Guyana due to incessant rain and Miraz banked on his previous experience of bowling in Guyana when Tigers won the ODI series in 2018.

"Actually, we were not able to practice a lot here. I had some experience of bowling in Guyana back in 2018 and I realised how I bowled back then and watched videos. I felt mentally strong and was very clear about my role and how to go about it," Miraz said about putting his thinking cap on and overcoming lack of practice at Guyana while talking to reporters ahead of the second ODI today.

"I did not look to bowl for wickets. Since there was help in the wicket, I tried to make it difficult for batters to score runs and force them into making mistakes. Since West Indies [batters] always like to go for the big shots, they go for a big shot after one or two dot balls. I wanted to get dot three dots on the trot so that they take the risk of going for big shots since it gives me an opportunity to bag wickets. I tried to keep things simple," he said regarding his process in the first ODI.

He also divulged on Tamim Iqbal's consistency as captain of the ODI side. Bangladesh won four series on the trot under Tamim's leadership since losing to New Zealand 3-0 in 2020.

"Tamim bhai is doing very well and getting a lot of success. We went to South Africa and won the series there and have won quite a few series under him. The biggest thing is that bowlers and fielders have supported him really well. We all tried to play to our roles to support him," he said.