Shaheen Calls Nahid Rana a Big Asset for Bangladesh

With two years of consistency, raw pace, and recent performances, Nahid Rana has emerged as a new pillar of Bangladesh’s pace attack. While he is yet to fully establish himself in white-ball cricket, his consistency in the longer format has already caught the attention of the cricketing world. His recent performances in the ODI series against Pakistan and New Zealand have further strengthened that narrative. Now, the young pacer is gearing up to prove himself once again in the upcoming Test series against Pakistan.

Ahead of the series, the Pakistan team is also keeping a close eye on Bangladesh’s rising pace star. Speaking at a press conference in Mirpur, Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi shared his thoughts on Nahid Rana’s potential and importance. His remarks reflected how highly Rana is being rated as a future prospect in Bangladesh’s pace unit.

Shaheen Afridi said, “I spoke to Shaun Tait before the ODI series. I think Nahid Rana can be a very big asset for Bangladesh cricket. I hope Bangladesh utilizes him (Nahid Rana) well.”

However, despite the praise, Afridi made it clear that there will be no leniency on the field. With a touch of humor, he expressed hope that Rana, despite his good form, would not trouble Pakistan too much.

Shaheen Afridi said, “Nahid Rana is in very good form, but I hope he won’t be able to trouble us much (laughs).”

Afridi was also asked about Pakistan’s past Test series loss against Bangladesh. The pacer, however, emphasized leaving the past behind and focusing on the present and future.

Shaheen Afridi said, “The past is the past. Personally, I don’t want to dwell on it. Our focus is on the present and the future—how we are preparing ourselves.”

Afridi further clarified that Pakistan’s ambition goes beyond just winning a series. He highlighted that the team is aiming for long-term success, particularly with an eye on the World Test Championship.

Shaheen Afridi said, “Our main goal is how to win the championship (World Test Championship), not just a series. As a team, our ambitions are much bigger, and we are preparing accordingly.”