Bangladesh's head coach Phil Simmons has said the team will do everything they can to protect fast bowler Nahid Rana, including carefully managing his workload. Rana, who regularly clocks upward of 150 kph, is currently tearing it up in the PSL with seven wickets from his last three matches, and Simmons wants to ensure his "trump card" remains in top shape.
"Sometimes we will have to look at his loads as they do in modern day, but as far as I'm concerned, he is one of our trump cards and we've got to protect him, but also we've got to make sure that he delivers for us every time," Simmons said. "It is up to us to try and look after him and make sure that when he goes out there he gives everything that we want him to give for Bangladesh."
Rana had gone to the PSL on the back of strong performances in the ODI series at home against Pakistan last month. He kicked things off with a rapid five-wicket haul, which decimated the visitors. He also took two wickets in the third game.
Rana's emergence has made the Bangladesh think-tank consider better pitches even at the Shere Bangla National Stadium where conditions have often favoured spinners.
"We are trying to get it (to a similar type of pitch) because what I'm finding is that when you play on better wickets, your team improves quicker. I am trying to get that kind of wicket as much as possible," Simmons said.
Bangladesh's concern, however, is with a misfiring middle order. Towhid Hridoy's progress as a batter has not gone as expected, while the jury is still out on Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Afif Hossain.
"I think Hridoy has been working extremely hard. I think the way he's batting now, he's showing there's more responsibility on his shoulders. He is accepting that responsibility. I'm sure what he did in BCL, he's going to transform into international cricket soon enough.
"We have room to improve in every aspect of our game, especially the batting side. That last ten overs, we've been doing well. Against Pakistan, the last 10 overs we scored what, 80 runs in the last game? So we're improving in that area."
Simmons, however, hinted that many of Bangladesh's batters end up having to adjust from being a top-order spot in domestic cricket, to a middle-order role in the senior team.
"It seems like all our batsmen bat in the top order in domestic. So it's the same for (Mehidy Hasan) Miraz and (Mahidul Islam) Ankon. Everybody seems to bat up in the top order. But when they come here, they have to fit into different positions. And so far, the guys have been trying very hard to adapt to those positions. And I think that's one of the big things about international cricket, you have to adapt to what's in front of you, not what you've done in domestic."