Miraz praises Rishad’s ‘great knock’ after commanding win

Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz heaped praise on Rishad Hossain's late-order batting fireworks after the leg-spinner's all-round brilliance sealed a 74-run victory against West Indies in the first ODI at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur on Saturday.

"In the end, it was a great knock by Rishad," Miraz said at the post-match presentation. 

"We played the last five matches but couldn't win, but we believed that we could come back strongly. Obviously, this is very important for us, and I think the boys played really well. We've been playing so many T20 matches in the last four or five series, but not many ODIs. Yes, credit to the batters - Shanto [Najmul Hossain] and [Tawhid] Hridoy - and to the debutant [Mahidul Islam Ankon]; he was calm and cool and played the situation well. In the end, it was a great knock by Rishad," said the all-rounder. 

"This year maybe we are playing our last series; hopefully, there will be more series coming next year. We have to play positively and get runs," he added.

Rishad's quickfire 13-ball 26 helped Bangladesh reach 207 before he produced a stunning career-best 6 for 35 — the best-ever figures by a Bangladeshi spinner in ODIs and third-best overall for the country. His spell ripped through the West Indies middle order as the visitors, chasing 208, were bowled out for 133 in 39 overs.

Bangladesh's innings had struggled on a low and slow Mirpur track. Najmul Hossain Shanto (32) and Towhid Hridoy (51) put together a 71-run stand but consumed 120 deliveries, while debutant Mahidul Ankon's composed 46 gave some stability. Yet, the Tigers again failed to bat out their 50 overs — something Miraz has repeatedly identified as a key area of improvement.

"The pitch was tricky, but we have to target playing 50 overs," Miraz had said earlier, a reflection of Bangladesh's struggle to adapt to modern ODI batting tempo.

While the spinners dominated on familiar home conditions — with Mehidy and Tanvir Islam taking one wicket each and Mustafizur Rahman two — it was Rishad's all-round impact that stole the spotlight. His fearless hitting and lethal spin not only broke Bangladesh's five-match losing streak but also gave the team a rare spark in a format that has tested their confidence all year.