Former head coach of Bangladesh U-19 national cricket team, Naveed Nawaz, sees a great future for the youngsters like Shoriful Islam and Mahmudul Hasan Joy. Both of them played in the ICC U-19 World Cup under Naveed in 2020 when Bangladesh won the title in South Africa. Naveed left Bangladesh’s job after coaching the U-19 team in two world cups. He joined the Sri Lankan cricket board as the assistant coach of the national team. The Sri Lanka national team arrived in Dhaka on Sunday to play a two-match Test series against the Tigers in Chattogram and Dhaka with the first match scheduled to begin on May 15 in Chattogram. Also read: Sri Lankan cricket team arrives in Dhaka “They have a great future,” Naveed said when he was asked about his former pupils. “Now I’m in the dressing room of their opponent, but it doesn't matter. They already proved their mettle, and they will play for Bangladesh for a longer period of time.” Naveed will meet them in Chattogram when the Sri Lankan team travels there for the first match. “They have the prospect to become the legends for Bangladesh. I think they will be happy to see me on Chattogram,” Naveed added. Both Shoriful and Mahmudul spent a lot of time with Naveed during their early days of professional cricket, both have got their international caps too. Shoriful played three Tests, 10 ODIs and 19 T20Is so far while Mahmudul played four Tests. Also read: Mustafiz should play Tests, not pick and choose: Khaled Mahmud Mahmudul recorded his maiden Test ton during the last away series of Bangladesh in South Africa. While the first Test of the upcoming series will begin on May 15, the second and final Test will be played in Dhaka from May 23. This series is a part of the ongoing cycle of the ICC Test Championship.

Bangladesh’s 21-year-old top-order batter Mahmudul Hasan Joy, after his maiden Test fifty against New Zealand, said that he focused on the deliveries instead of worrying about the bowlers. At the end of day three, Bangladesh are leading by 73 runs with four wickets in hand. In reply to New Zealand’s first innings total of 328, Bangladesh scored 401 for six at stumps. It was only the second Test of Mahmudul (first in New Zealand) where he smashed 78 off 228 balls. Along the way he became the first Bangladeshi opener to face 200 or more deliveries in New Zealand. Also read: Bangladesh hold firm after imperious batting display Before this match, Mahmudul got his Test cap against Pakistan when he got a torrid initiation to Tests-- a duck and six in his first two innings. “They have the best pace-bowling unit in the world,” he said about the pace-bowling attack of the reigning Test champions. “I just wanted to play my regular game. I did not think much over that. My focus was to play the delivers not the names of their bowlers.” Along with Mahmudul, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mominul Haque and Liton Das have also hit a fifty. Mominul and Liton had passed the 80-run mark too but fell short of a few runs from their first Test century in New Zealand. “My plan was to face as many balls as possible, and the runs will come along the way. All of my partners in the middle have said this. It was the reason behind my calmness on the wicket. I must admit that the preparation ahead of the series has helped me a lot,” he added. Mahmudul and Shadman Islam put up a 43-run opening stand— highest in recent times. In the absence of the veteran batter Tamim Iqbal, Bangladesh’s top-order has been struggling for a long time. Also read: Bangladesh takes lead after Mominul, Liton heroics “Shadman and I wanted to make the ball old,” Mahmudul said while talking about playing the new ball. “If I would have thought more, there was a big chance of losing the wicket. So we kept thinking ball by ball, and it eventually resulted in a good way.”