Nazmul Hossain

When news broke out that Nazmul Hossain will play against Pakistan in a Test match starting December 17, 2011, in what would be the second Test of his career, exactly seven years after his debut, one journalist asked what he might do if he had to play his third Test after an equivalent break. "If I play my third Test after seven years then my career is over," he said, smiling.

Nazmul has always been there and thereabouts, considered a one-day specialist mainly for his ability to contain batsmen, a skill that has also been construed as an inability to pick up wickets in the longer format. His ill luck too has played a part, with injuries hitting him at crucial moments just before various team selections.

His best moments have been in one-day cricket, with three performances standing out - two of them resulted in Bangladesh wins while one was memorable for the drama. In a tri-nation final in January 2009, Nazmul removed Upul Tharanga, Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Thushara to pin Sri Lanka to 6 for 5. Bangladesh lost this game but Nazmul's crucial final over in the first ODI in the 4-0 series win over New Zealand the next year again proved decisive. Unfortunately for him, however, his brilliant last over ended badly after he damaged a finger while attempting a return catch. In the 2012 Asia Cup game against Sri Lanka, Nazmul's three wickets - Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara and Tillekaratne Dilshan - never gave Sri Lanka a chance to post a big score. Bangladesh won and made it to the final for the first time ever.

Nazmul is one of the most popular members within the Bangladesh team, affectionately called bhai not particularly because of his age. Known for his humility, the Sylhet seamer was also regarded as the team's lucky charm after playing in the wins over Australia (in 2005) and Sri Lanka (in 2006) at a time when Bangladesh won very few games.
Mohammad Isam