||CF Correspondent||

One would surely prefer being hit for five sixes in an over at a relatively insignificant match in the beginning of his career instead of conceding six sixes at a grand stage like the World T20 or allowing four sixes in the final over of the final match at the same event. And if given the option, every bowler would choose not get smashed all around the park at all. But Mohammad Saifuddin had nothing to do but stare at the ball every time David Miller hit him for a six when the batsman sent the ball over the ropes for five times in an over in a T20I clash between Bangladesh and South Africa last year.

However, a young Saifuddin looks to have regained his confidence a year after that incident as he has put up a brilliant all-round show in Bangladesh’s ongoing ODI series against Zimbabwe, picking up a fifty in the first match and earning the Man of the Match award with three wickets under his belt in the second clash.

“There will be some slips when you are trying to get success,” Saifuddin said. “My mother used to say that a baby may fall while taking his first steps but does that mean he will not walk? I will get hit but I will learn from it.

“I have been bowling in the death overs since the U-15 and U-17 levels, while playing under [Mehidy Hasan] Miraz. I struggled in my early days in international cricket but I always speak to Miraz and Mustafizur [Rahman], who is an experienced bowler. I tried to execute whatever I have learned.”

According to the 21-year-old, it was the change in mindset that he worked on after his previous failures with the ball at the international level. His work appears to have paid off as the bowler did not hesitate bowling at the death.