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My job is just to ensure Fizz is happy and confident: Tait

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Banglapress Published: 23 September 2025, 10:26 AM
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My job is just to ensure Fizz is happy and confident: Tait
  Bangla Press Desk:  Just some random facts. Bangladesh have played 18 T20Is in 2025. Mustafizur Rahman has featured in 10 of them. In those 10, the Tigers have been beaten only once — against Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi in the ongoing Asia Cup. Now the flip side, in the eight matches without Mustafizur, Bangladesh have not won a single game. They stumbled to two defeats against the UAE, endured a 3-0 My job is just to ensure Fizz is happy and confident: Taitwhitewash in Pakistan, and then suffered losses against Sri Lanka (away) and Pakistan (home). The numbers speak for themselves: Bangladesh with Mustafizur is a side with bite. Without him, they are toothless. And so, on the eve of their super four clash against Sri Lanka at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, pace bowling coach Shaun Tait put his full trust in the left-arm maestro.
“He is a good asset and a good leader for us. He has been around a long time and is a proven performer. He has been a joy to work with, and I'm sure he'll continue to perform well,” Tait said in the pre-match conference on Friday. When the stakes rise, so does Mustafiz. The left-arm pacer has already stamped his authority in Bangladesh’s two wins at the ongoing Asia Cup, proving once again why he remains the Tigers’ trump card on the big stage. Against Hong Kong in the opener at Abu Dhabi, he was near-unplayable — conceding just 22 runs in his four overs to choke them. Against Sri Lanka, he was a touch more expensive, leaking 35 runs, but he still delivered the crucial wicket of Kusal Mendis. And when it truly mattered — in the ‘do-or-die’ clash with Afghanistan— Mustafizur turned ruthless. His spell of 3 for 28 ripped the heart out of Afghanistan’s batting and kept Bangladesh alive in the Super Fours’ race. In Bangladesh’s historic away series win earlier this year — their first-ever in Sri Lanka — Mustafizur’s economy was unreal. He conceded only 14 runs in 3 overs in the second T20I in Dambulla and just 17 runs in 4 overs in the series decider in Colombo, scalping a wicket in each game.
Now, the stage shifts to the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. It hasn’t been his happiest hunting ground — 3 wickets in 3 matches at an average of 31.66 and economy of 9.50, a lot higher than his stellar career marks of 20.85 (average) and 7.31 (economy). “He has played here before and obviously has all the experience. He doesn’t really need me to talk to him much about [bowling] involvement. I think if Fizz is in an environment where he is happy, he will perform well. My job with him is just to ensure he is happy and confident; he takes care of the rest himself,” said Shaun Tait. “There is not a lot I can teach him or talk to him about, but I enjoy his company and working with him. He is obviously a big player for our team.” At 30 years of age, with 116 T20Is behind him — more than anyone else in this Bangladesh squad — Mustafizur Rahman carries not just skill, but priceless experience. And as the Tigers prepare to face Sri Lanka, that experience could prove decisive. This article was originally published on Daily Sun. [Bangla Press is a global platform for free thought. It provides impartial news, analysis, and commentary for independent-minded individuals. Our goal is to bring about positive change, which is more important today than ever before.]
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[Bangla Press is a global platform for free thought. It provides impartial news, analysis, and commentary for independent-minded individuals. Our goal is to bring about positive change, which is more important today than ever before.]

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