'No idea how to play Mustafiz'

It was a sight to behold when Mustafizur Rahman bowled an in-swinging delivery first-up and uprooted Chamu Chibhabha's stumps. Yes, the left-arm pacer has been chock-full of surprises ever since his debut, however the delivery he bowled yesterday seemed to be a new addition to his arsenal.

"This is still an early stage for him as he is learning and practising this delivery in the nets. This series was a good opportunity for him to use it. If you notice, he did get hit for a few boundaries while trying it, but that's how he will learn," said Mashrafe Bin Mortaza during the post-match press conference, adding: "I think as it is, he is a difficult bowler to understand with all his variations. He has two kinds of cutters. Even if a batsman plays the first two deliveries and tries to understand him, he can slip in the other [delivery] and get him confused."

"But these cutters can be understood if he is observed for a long time. However, this in-swinging delivery can make him a more difficult bowler to face at any time," Mashrafe added.

Mustafizur took two wickets up front and then came back to finish the tail with three more. His five-wicket haul, like in the past, played a major role in yesterday's win. Such was the intensity that when Mustafizur was bowling his last over the skipper actually kept eight fielders in the slip-cordon, a rare sight in Bangladesh cricket.

"Whenever he [Mustafizur] bowls, we feel as though something is going to happen. We lacked a bowler like him in the past," echoed Tamim Iqbal.

"I think it's impossible for any new batsman to play him. He is a very clever bowler. He doesn't bowl his cutters to me during the net practice, maybe that's because he will be playing against me in the BPL. Currently I have no idea how to play him," laughed Tamim.