ABDULLAH AL MEHDI from Chattogram

Raw pace, guile, perseverance and skill -- Bangladesh’s pace unit’s rise has seen them catch up to all those traits in the recent past and, with a series on the line against a depleted New Zealand, Tigers’ fast bowlers turned things up a notch to turn things around, handing skipper Mehidy Hasan Miraz his third straight series win.

“Our pace unit is bowling really well and not just now but over the last three-four years,” Miraz said after his side sealed the ODI series against New Zealand 2-1 with a 55-run win in the third ODI at Chattogram yesterday.

Nahid Rana set the series on fire with a five-wicket haul in the second ODI at Mirpur to pave the way for a comeback, while Mustafizur Rahman once again showed his guile in his first game this series, picking up a five-for as Tigers’ pace attack continued its upsurge.

At home or away, including the recent Pakistan series, the pace unit has delivered consistently -- certainly a luxury for any Bangladesh skipper. It also means competition. Someone like Shoriful Islam played all three matches series after a one-and-a-half-year gap from 50-over format, and that was only possible as Mustafizur had discomfort right before the toss in the series opener.

“We went to South Africa [2022] and beat them there because of the pace unit. A pace unit which is doing well changes momentum of a team,” added the Bangladesh skipper.

Shoriful had been hitting great lengths and found consistency this series that let the whole unit function together, bowling at an economy rate of 2.87 this series and picking up five wickets. “It’s difficult for a player to play a format suddenly… but the way he adjusted and was a consistent performer in all three matches… I think if everyone has that hunger, it will be great for the team,” Miraz said on the left-arm quick.

Mustafizur, meanwhile, picked up his sixth career five-for, a feat that saw him match the great Wasim Akram and Trent Boult.

Rana was the superstar this series. He turned things around in the Mirpur cauldron on a spectacularly hot day, bowling consistently at speeds over 140 kph. He became a weapon, a massive threat for any oppositions, picking up seven wickets in the series. “Rana is an asset for the country and we all must try to take care of him,” Miraz said.

New Zealand skipper Tom Latham concurred with Miraz’s assessment of Rana. “I think someone who’s able to run in and bowl 145–150 on a reasonably slow surface certainly shows the skill set that he has and the X-factor that he has… he’s obviously a star in the making for Bangladesh,” he said.