Nahid Rana's rapid rise in Bangladesh cricket has given the team an edge it has rarely had in fast bowling. The pacer is expected to play a vital role in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which Bangladesh will begin with the big match against India in Dubai today (Thursday), report agencies.
For Nahid Rana who is Bangladesh's fastest-ever bowler by regularly topping 150kph, the Champions Trophy will be his first ICC event.
Nahid can bowl consistently with the speed clocking 150 km/h, and he has already made a notable impact in Bangladesh's changing pace attack. Najmul Hossain Shanto, the captain of Bangladesh, said Nahid's inclusion added a new dimension to Bangladesh's bowling department.
"He has bowled really well and bowled fast," Shanto said ahead of the match. "When we see him bowling like this, it lifts the whole bowling unit. It motivates us to challenge the opposition in new ways."
As mentioned by Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Nahid Rana has been bowling with good pace in recent games, which can trouble India on the pace-friendly wicket of Dubai.
In addition, Rana stands 6 feet 5 inches tall, which helps him extract extra bounce from the pitch. Rana, who initially made his mark in the Test series against Pakistan last year, has taken four wickets in three ODI matches he has played so far, with an impressive economy rate of just 4.72. This proves he is capable of stopping the run flow while also taking wickets.
If you combine this with his wicket-taking ability, India could have a big headache to deal with in the first match of the competition.
Rana made his international debut less than a year ago but has already left a mark. In six Tests, he has taken 20 wickets, including a five-wicket haul against Sri Lanka. He has also featured in three ODIs, picking up four wickets at an economy rate of 4.72. His domestic numbers prove his potential, with 83 wickets in 21 first-class matches at an average of 25.44.
When Bangladesh registered a historic Test series win in Pakistan last year, Nahid has taken the wickets of Babar Azam, Shan Masood and Saud Shakeel in the same spell. His bowling set the tone for Bangladesh.
Rana's impressive rise gave Bangladesh's pace department a diversity, which could be handy in their Champions trophy mission in Pakistan and Dubai, said BCB director Nazmul Abedin Fahim.
"He was impressive in the BPL. He continued to unsettle the batters in the tournament in most of the matches with his express pace, which will give Bangladesh management a confidence to do well in the Champions Trophy," Fahim, also a respected coach, told the BSS recently.
"Our pace department has been excellent in the last three or four years. And Nahid's addition is like a fresh breath of air. He brought the diversity in the pace department with his express pace."
Bangladesh will return to Pakistan in this Champions Trophy too, for a group-stage match against the hosts.
"The team expected me to bowl fast and use me as an attacking option," Rana said to ICC. "I tried to repay the faith by sticking to my strengths and staying humble."
Bangladesh has traditionally relied on spin, but with Rana and Taskin Ahmed, and in the squad, they now have a balanced attack.
"We did not have a lot of pace bowlers before, but now we have them. We have always had spinners, so now we have a good balance," the Bangladesh captain said.
Nahid said he is not thinking much about the hype around him, instead, he is focusing on his performance and execution.
© 2025 - All Rights with The Financial Express
