DHAKA, Oct 20, 2019 (BSS) – While his Test credential is questioned
continuously, Mahmdullah Riyad seemed to have given all the answers to prove
that the question should not arise further.
The question was valid in fact as he struck just one century in his first
77 Test innings before hitting back to his way. In the last 10 Test innings
he scored three centuries and if not it is enough, he scored three successive
50 plus knock including one century in the ongoing National Cricket League
(NCL).
And having done so, he made it clear, he is completely ready to face off
India at their own den, where they are almost invincible. Mahmdullah’s
bowling is believed to be essential also in India series and they ticked the
box here too.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) made the NCL as a focal point to stir
the national team cricketers ahead of three-match T20 series and two Test
matches that will also open their account in the Test Championship.
Mahmudullah seemed to have taken the opportunity with both hands to get loads
of confidence from the tournament.
After scoring two back-to-back fifties in his first two innings of NCL,
the all-rounder has now played another 111 runs innings off 243 balls
decorated with six fours and a six.
Mahmudullah came up with the innings after the all-rounder scoring a fifty
(63) in the hitting eight boundaries in the first innings against Sylhet
Division.
Mahmudullah, who has 43.7-innings-avarage this year in Test cricket,
played an identical 63 runs innings in his first innings in the round-1 of
the ongoing domestic tournament with one over boundary and five boundaries as
the all-rounder saw the player of the match award coming towards him after
the four days of play. But that’s not only because of his contribution with
bat for Dhaka Metro.
Though, in the second round, the all-rounder was not seen bowling an
amount of overs that can be evaluated properly but the all-rounder took six
wickets in the first round of NCL against Chittagong Division at the Sher-e-
Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
The right-arm bowler took three wickets in each innings against Chittagong
allowing 55 runs in 26 overs and just 26 runs in 13 overs respectively.
So far, Mahmudullah, who has just returned to bowling workload, bowled 41
overs in the domestic red ball cricket where he is maintaining 2.46-economy
rate after three innings of bowling.
Mahmudullah has just bowled five overs in Test cricket this year and has
two wickets by his name as one of them came in the Tiger’s recent solitary
Test fixture against Afghanistan.
Mahmudullah had faced a recurrence of an old shoulder injury during the
first Test against New Zealand in Hamilton, when he dived on the field.
Subsequent scans on his shoulder ahead of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup
2019 revealed a Grade 3 tear, keeping him out of rolling his arm over at the
50-over event.
He subsequently bowled in the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka
following the tournament, as well as in the one-off Test against Afghanistan
after that, but not at full intensity.