‘It was a childhood dream to win together with Shakib bhai’

Bangladesh pace-bowling all-rounder Mohammad Saifuddin realised one of his childhood dreams after the eighth-wicket partnership between him and Shakib Al Hasan clinched the second ODI and the series against Zimbabwe at Harare yesterday.

Mohammad Saifuddin showed that he had the mettle to keep a calm head during pressure situations after he came on as the last recognized batsman in the Tigers' batting order. His partnership of 69 runs with Shakib helped Tigers assail Zimbabwe's 240 with three wickets to spare.

"To tell you the truth, it was a dream from childhood to play with him [Shakib] and partner him at the crease to win the match for the team. I may have talked about it in talkshows before but the opportunity arrived yesterday and I tried my best to make the moment a memorable one.

"There were loose balls at times but for the team there were times that the required task was to play dots. Didn't look to go for lofted shots but did what was required and the biggest thing is that Shakib bhai supported me very well and the task was accomplished easily," Saifuddin said in a video message to the media today.

Saifuddin's batting has been a big plus in his inclusion to the side along with his ability to bowl with the new and the old ball.

"I have faced such situations in age-level cricket where the team's five or six wickets would fall in 40 or 50 runs. I would then stick around at one end to get the score to 200 plus. The pressure situation in international cricket is different to one I faced with Chittagong Division in age-level cricket but I used that experience."

Saifuddin, who remained unbeaten on 28 off 34 with Shakib unbeaten at the other end on 96, was hopeful that he was able to show some quality with the bat.

"I haven't been able to prove myself as a batsman in the international circuit. Of course I don't want my teammates to get out so that I can have a chance to bat but since yesterday I had a chance, I wanted to make it count. My biggest happiness is that with my small contribution the team was able to win," he concluded.