Nahid Rana credits former Pakistan coach for exceptional performance in first ODI

Bangladesh pace sensation Nahid Rana has credited former Australian fast bowler and their current pace bowling coach Shaun Tait for instilling the confidence required to excel on the international stage.

The 23-year-old delivered a mesmerising spell on Wednesday, claiming a five-wicket haul in just his 17th appearance for his country. His efforts propelled Bangladesh to an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Pakistan in the first ODI in Mirpur.

Rana consistently breached the 140km/h mark, leaving Pakistan's batters struggling to cope with his pace and aggression. His style evoked memories of Tait, who was a key figure in Australia’s formidable pace attack during the early 2000s.

Speaking to the media after the match, the right-arm seamer highlighted the vital role Tait has played in his development, praising the Australian's supportive and approachable coaching style.

"To be honest, he (Tait) is an outstanding coach because he behaves with us not only as a coach but also as a friend," Rana said.

"Whenever we need something, he provides it. He always tells us to stick to our strengths and to let him know if we need anything. He says, 'Whatever you need, just tell me. I am here to guide you. You will play on the field, I will give you the plan, and you have to execute it and win the match.' So he always motivates us and gives us the best guidance."

Rana first made his mark in early 2024 during a World Test Championship match against Sri Lanka in Sylhet. Since then, he has featured predominantly in the longest format, though he briefly entered the white-ball arena during last year's ICC Champions Trophy.

While his ability to generate extreme pace, often flirting with the 150km/h mark, draws significant attention, Rana remains focused on refining his accuracy and control. He emphasised that skill, rather than raw speed, is his primary focus in international cricket.

"Honestly, I don't think too much about speed. In international cricket, skill matters more than pure pace," Nahid said after his maiden five-wicket haul in ODIs.

"So I am trying to work more on improving my skills.

"In the beginning, Fizz Bhai (Mustafizur Rahman) and Taskin Bhai (Taskin Ahmed) were bowling. I was talking with them on the field about what was happening on the wicket. They told me that if you hit the right areas or maintain a proper line and length in certain spots, it becomes difficult for the batters to play. So I just tried to execute that on the field.

"I have played many matches on this ground before, so I tried to use that experience, understanding which line and length works best here and how to get help from the wicket. For me, every wicket is special. I don't think about cricket in terms of a wicket being good today and bad tomorrow. I believe that a bowler should understand the wicket first, whatever the condition is, and then bowl according to what the wicket demands."

Pakistan coach Mike Hesson did not hide his disappointment with his side's performance, admitting that Rana's pace had rattled the batting line-up.

Pakistan coach Mike Hesson was bitterly disappointed with the performance of his side against Bangladesh, with the experienced mentor admitting that Rana's pace had troubled his batting line-up.

"I think Nahid Rana was exceptional," Hesson said.

"Until he came into the game we were ticking along OK. And he changed the game. He bowled into the wicket, created some variation and bounce, which he's allowed to do when he's bowling at that pace. And we didn't respond as well as we needed to. So all credit to him.

"It's actually the first time I've seen him bowl live. I've seen him bowl a lot on TV. I thought he bowled really nicely, even in warm-ups. He looked like he had his timing going well. And he bowls hard into the surface, he presents the seam and he bowls cross-seam."