Tanzim Hasan Sakib's Interview
“I can bowl six yorkers, out of six”
Tanzim Hasan Sakib has played just two international matches and that was enough for him to be included in the Bangladesh World Cup squad. As the young man has something special the faith is placed upon him. Before leaving for the World Cup Tanzim explained about that to Mohammad Jubair of Prothom Alo.
Going to play in the World Cup with the experience of only two international matches, how are you feeling?
Nothing special was felt. The amount of international matches I saw before my debut, one thing I realised that cricket is mainly a game of nerves. The more confident you remain the more you can suppress your opposition. I played in that manner in age-level cricket and prepared myself in domestic circuit by playing in that manner. I am doing the same things in international cricket that I did in the domestic cricket. It doesn't matter who I am playing against. As long as I remain confident I will perform. I always keep one thing in my mind that a good bowl is a good bowl to anyone.
The first international wicket was Rohit Sharma. Did you ever imagine a start like that?
I did not think in that way. I tried to stay with the moment of that first over. I did not think what would happen after the match, what would happen to my spell. I tried to deliver every ball with utmost focus. No dithering was there in me. I was not indecisive at the top of my mark on whether the delivery would be a bouncer or length ball, if I thought about the length ball I produced that.
You did well in the death overs in that match as well…
Regarding depth bowling, Shakib (Al Hasan) bhai told me, “Whatever you do, do it with absolute clarity. If it is a yorker, then it is a yorker, if slower then it's slower.” I had that in my mind. If the batter can read your psychology he will be in an advantageous position. I also have to comprehend the mind of the batter. If I may, I will have the upper hand.
What about the middle overs' bowling? You got a chance in the World Cup squad in place of Ebadot Hossain who was the best bowler for Bangladesh in middle overs over the last one year.
I bowled a lot in the middle overs in this season’s Premier League. Apart from three-four matches I bowled as first change for Abahani in other matches. This phase is very crucial in one-day cricket. If you can pick up 2-3 wickets in this period the match swings at your favour.
You are very skillful in bowling yorkers. Is it due to practice or natural?
Yorker is all about practice. The more you practice the more effective it will be. This is the only mantra for me to bowl yorkers. This is such a delivery that is effective to any batter on earth. If you put it right on the money no one can hit that. This is most vital during the death overs.
How many consecutive yorkers you may produce?
If I wish I can bowl six yorkers in an over. If I think of a yorker, it will be yorker. Such confidence is induced due to practice.
You are bowling around 135 km/h. Do you think you may add 4-5 kilometres?
Of course. I'm not getting time to work on fitness. But I have to work on this too. I have no excuse. I know I can bowl at 140 kmph consistently. In the Premier League I thought I did bowl at that speed.
Another reason for picking you in the World Cup squad is batting. How confident are you with batting?
Coach (Chandika Hathurusingha) told me clearly, “If you want to stay in the team, you have to bat.” I feel very bad when I see our wickets fall rapidly after the fall of the seventh wicket. After the fall of the seventh wicket the batter who is in the wicket starts to charge as he knows the others will not be able to stay for long. I wish the recognised batter who stays with me can prolong the innings; he can keep faith in me.
I heard you are a big fan of Dale Steyn...
I used to like Steyn’s bowling so much I never missed a single match of South Africa. After pitching the ball is swinging away from the batter, swinging in… He was completely unplayable at his peak. I really loved that. He has been my favourite player ever since. I used to bowl by copying him.
Both of your height is similar…
Yes, very close. That influenced me a lot when I became a professional cricketer. I used to google often, “Dale Steyn's height,” 5’10” (smile). That used to give me confidence. I watch all his master classes. I also asked Allan (Donald) about him. He was the South African coach during Steyn’s time. He said, “What a guy to coach.”
This interview, originally published in the print edition of Prothom Alo, has been rewritten in English by Syed Faiz Ahmed