Famous Australian coach Mickey Arthur is thrilled to see a fast bowler like Nahid Rana emerge from Bangladesh.
It’s only been a few days since Arthur started working with Nahid Rana, but the Rangpur Riders coach has already been impressed by the young pacer. Having coached in Australia, South Africa, England, and Pakistan, Arthur has worked with numerous world-class pacers. Yet, it didn’t take him long to recognize that Nahid is “special.”
Nahid made his international debut earlier this March, immediately grabbing attention with his raw pace. Since then, the towering fast bowler has consistently dazzled, earning praise not only in Bangladesh but also from international cricket analysts and former players. Rangpur coach Arthur is the latest addition to the list of admirers.
On Monday, during the opening day of the BPL at Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Rangpur secured a 40-run victory. While Khushdil Shah and Sheikh Mehdi Hasan shone with standout performances, Nahid quietly impressed with his economical spell. On a batting-friendly wicket, the 22-year-old conceded just 11 runs in 3 overs without giving away a single boundary.
Arthur, reflecting on what he’s seen in Nahid during both matches and practice, couldn’t hide his excitement:
“Nahid Rana is very special. Seeing a bowler with such pace emerge from Bangladesh is amazing. He’s very, very good. I believe he will go far in international cricket.”
“He has pace, bowls in good lengths, and is incredibly consistent. The difference between his good and bad deliveries is minimal, almost indistinguishable. He’s a very exciting fast bowler.”
Arthur also shared Rangpur’s plans for Nahid in this year’s BPL. In their opening match, captain Nurul Hasan Sohan introduced Nahid after the powerplay as the fifth bowler. He bowled a two-over spell before returning for the 18th over to control the game at a crucial stage.
Arthur explained that Nahid’s primary role will be to disrupt the opposition in the middle overs:
“It’s fantastic to watch Nahid bowl, especially in the middle overs. In T20 cricket, you need wickets during those overs; otherwise, the opposition will take the game away in the death overs. That’s where he is such a fantastic weapon for us. Very exciting!”
Rangpur Riders will be back in action on Tuesday at 5 PM, facing Sylhet Strikers in their second match of the tournament.
