Ebadot Hossain who? Not many had seen or heard of the fast bowler before he was talked up by former Pakistan quick Aaqib Javed. Ebadot had joined the Bangladesh Air Force as a volleyball player in 2012 before turning to cricket. He chanced upon a pacer hunt, which was about to start in January 2016, last December.

Ebadot wanted to register through the Dhaka leg of the event, but someone told him that he had to do it elsewhere. So he went 140 kms to the southwest of the Bangladesh capital to Faridapur to bowl two deliveries in a competition where 14,611 bowlers took part.

Ebadot caught the attention of coaches in Mirpur and was brought into the Bangladesh High Performance squad after impressing in that competition.

"But Sarwar Imran Sir told me to bowl six deliveries," Ebadot said. "With one of those, I clocked 133 kph. I made it to the final 30 and then the top 10. In the final round in Dhaka, I hit 139.9 kph with one of those deliveries.

"Joining the Air Force wasn't my dream, neither was playing volleyball. I loved cricket from childhood, so I always tried to pursue the game in whichever way possible. I needed a job but the Air Force has always been very good to me. But after all of these things happened in the past few months, my squadron officer told me that no matter how big a cricketer you become, you will always be with the Air Force."

Ebadot has not played first-class or List A cricket so far, and is the first Bangladeshi cricketer to emerge from the Air Force. He is likely to return to the Air Force after completing the HP programme, and will stay out of touch with cricket, unless he gets picked in any first-class squad for the 2016-17 season. Javed suggested that he should be handed a contract to keep him close to proper training.

Ebadot felt overawed by Javed's presence during the short camp and learnt a lot from the former Pakistan bowler.

"Aaqib Javed worked with our pace and run-up on the first day," Ebadot said. "He explained to us how to increase our pace. Then he taught us swing, variation and reverse swing on the last day. He couldn't gauge my pace by seeing my body structure. He said that I lack physical strength but I can increase my pace by proper muscle build-up."

Ebadot said that the Air Force would give him breaks from work whenever the BCB would require him to play a tournament. But it could be a tough balancing act.

"After coming here I realised that I have to stay in touch with cricket," he said. I have a job in Bangladesh Air Force and they have been positive about me whenever I have needed a leave to play cricket.

"I will take a letter from here so that I can come back regularly to do my gym, work with the trainers and keep raising my fitness."

Ebadot had played only a handful of one-day matches in the Dhaka First Division Cricket League in the 2014-15 season. But he is looking forward to more cricket in the upcoming season, but for that he may have to give up volleyball permanently.