Zimbabwe will see tomorrow how lethal Nahid could be: Shanto

Dhaka, 19 April —Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto today said that Zimbabwe will realize ‘how lethal Nahid Rana could be when they face them in the first Test’ tomorrow at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.

His comment came in the wake of Sean Williams’ cheeky response to Nahid Rana’s pace. 

Williams, who has never faced Nahid in any format, played down concerns over the right-arm quick’s pace during a press conference on Friday, saying “Many bowlers bowl fast these days. It’s not like he’s the only one in the world. We’ve got bowling machines that deliver faster than most bowlers.”

When asked about Williams’ comment, Shanto said Zimbabwe would get a clear picture of how extraordinary Nahid is, when they face him tomorrow on the field. “You’ll see it tomorrow,” Shanto told reporters in Sylhet today.

“When he bowls and Zimbabwe’s batters face him, their body language will show just how different Nahid really is. They will get how fast he is and how extraordinary he is,” he added.

Shanto also said that they consistently encouraged the 21-year-old to bowl as faster as he can.

“I’ve known him since his academy days. The message to him has always been simple: bowl over 140 kilometres per hour.

“If he plays tomorrow, I hope he’ll hit that mark,” he said.

The two-match series opening Test starts tomorrow (Sunday) at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. The second and final match is set to start on  April 28 in Chattogram.BSS