Mosaddek Hossain, after a long wait and persistence returned in the most tremendous way by putting on display an all-round performance which helped Bangladesh down Australia by 86 runs in the first ODI of three-match series at Mirpur AGNI Cricket Stadium here.
Mosaddek, who was playing his first international For the first time in nearly four years, showed class and fight. Bangladesh won only their second One Day International against Australia as the allrounder, who has taken some four years to justify his lofty test match debut billing, remained unbeaten on 86 and took two scalps with a remarkable catch fielding. The win also put the hosts up 1-0 in the series.
Looking back at his return to the national side, Mosaddek said: “It was tough to stay away from international cricket for so long. He always had faith in himself or at least too much belief to lose hope of getting another chance. The veteran cricketer said that he continued to focus on delivering match-winning performances in domestic tournaments, and that success would come due to his toil.
That confidence was fortified with countless spells that he had sent down in the domestic circuit of Bangladesh over the years. Rest of the time in which he was away from this national team, Mosaddek became one of the more reliable allrounders in the country. He was an instrumental part of Abahani Limited, who won several domestic titles under his guidance while he proved his worth as a reliable bowler and batsman. His red hot form kept him in national selection.
Mosaddek admitted that his last performance was one of the best in recent days at international level. The team management gave him complete freedom and made clear what his role was, which he appreciates. As per him, the mindset of the coaches was about positive intent and keeping up the momentum at all times regardless of the match situation.
The all-rounder said that chatting with the coaching group ahead of the match gave him a clear understanding of what the team needed. He was asked to keep the runs flowing at a decent pace, rather than just trying to stabilize the innings and help Bangladesh towards some kind of a fightable score.
That approach paid off perfectly. That aggressive but composed innings saw Bangladesh set a stiff target, which the bowlers defended quite well. It was more to Mosaddek than a comeback; it was validation that if you have patience, faith and work hard everyday, an opportunity will come along again and you can make a mark on the grandest stage.
