Shanto wants more opportunities for leggie Rishad in domestic competitions

Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto admitted that he was impressed by leg spinner Rishad Hossain and sought more opportunities for the youngster in the finishing school of domestic cricket to fine tune his craft for the top level. The 21-year-old played a vital role in Bangladesh's series-levelling win in the second T20I against Bangladesh, giving away just 21 runs in his three overs to slow down the opposition.

Rishad was also a bright spot in an otherwise ordinary bowling performance in the series opener, his four overs costing only 32 runs and giving Bangladesh the vital wicket of Kusal Mendis. He displayed great calm in the cauldron of T20 wicket even after being hit for 18 runs in his previous over.

Bangladesh's team management has kept their faith in Rishad after handing him a debut against Ireland in March 2023 and Shanto's decision to back the youngster even after getting hit in an over was validation of their trust in the legspinner, a rare skillset in the country's cricket.

Though Rishad has had a promising start to his international career, only recently he was considered not good enough to regularly make Comilla Victorians' playing XI. Rishad played only four games in a tournament where his team went all the way to the final.

"I think it is difficult for him [to prepare] because he doesn't get a lot of games in domestic cricket and it is unfortunate that the [domestic] teams don't play him and I don't know why they don't him play," Shanto told reporters in Sylhet after the second game. "But in international cricket, in all the matches he's bowled really well and in any condition and in any situation and against big batsman.

"It is difficult for him but he's prepared himself well and the plan that we give him he tries to execute that. If he gets more opportunities in the domestic cricket, it will be easier for him in international cricket. He has certainly improved and his length is good and he can consistently bowl in one area and working on it and if he can keep that up, he can bowl even better in the coming days," he said.

Wednesday's game brought relief for Shanto in more than one way. On a personal note, it marked his return to run-making form after an insipid show in BPL, where he managed only 175 runs from 12 games at an average of 14.58 and a strike-rate of 93.58.

Ahead of the T20I series against Sri Lanka, Bangladesh's new batting coach David Hemp said he