Nahid Rana reveals key to recent success with Bangladesh

Bangladesh pacer Nahid Rana has credited fellow quick Taskin Ahmed for the role he has played in his recent form with the ball.

Rana bowled with superb pace throughout April as he won the Player of the Series award during the three-match ODI series against New Zealand and even earned his maiden ICC Men's Player of the Month award for his heroics.

The 23-year-old has since translated those efforts to the Test arena, with Nahid picking up a five-wicket haul during the second innings of the first Test against Pakistan to help Bangladesh win their first match of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship cycle.

It's been a rapid rise to the top for Rana given he only made his international debut in 2024 and the right-armer suggested fellow Bangladesh fast bowler Taskin had played a major part in his recent journey.

Taskin has been Bangladesh's premier pacer across all formats for the majority of the past decade and Rana said the veteran has proven an inspiration for his recent performances.

"My relationship with him (Taskin) is very good. I have watched him play since I was young and, after seeing him up close, I see him as an elder brother. He always treats me with affection like a younger brother," Rana said.

"Whenever I make mistakes, he tells me, 'Rana, it will be good for you if you do these things.' Because he has already gone through this phase of life and cricket, he guides me a lot. I always see him as an elder brother and our relationship is like that."

Rana and Taskin combined to take five wickets on the second day of the second Test against Pakistan on Sunday, with the visitors bowled out for just 232 to give Bangladesh a first innings lead of 46 and a slight advantage as they moved to 110/3 at stumps to lead by 156 runs overall.

While Taskin did the damage with the new ball, it was Rana that provided the key breakthrough when he dismissed former Pakistan captain Babar Azam and the right-armer also cleaned up the tail to finish with decent figures of 3/60 from 12.4 overs.

Babar top-scored for Pakistan with 68 and the right-hander said, while Rana's pace was difficult to handle, he was certainly not unplayable.

"No, I don't think so (Rana is unplayable)," Babar said. 

"He is one of the fastest bowlers right now in red-ball cricket but every second team has a 140-150 kph bowler. 

"So you try to handle those things. I try my level best to play my natural game. Sometimes you score runs, sometimes you get out.

"I think he's very talented, and the main thing is his pace. He is outstanding, and his control is improving day by day. I wish him all the best for the future."

Series schedule:

First Test: May 8-12, Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium (Bangladesh won by 104 runs)
Second Test: May 16-20, Sylhet International Cricket Stadium