Rishad: Looking forward to working with Ponting at Hobart Hurricanes

Rishad Hossain makes regular contributions for Bangladesh. The legspinner's presence allows Bangladesh to have a varied bowling attack and gives them a fielder who can change the course of the game. Those skills have also raised his stock in franchise cricket. He played for Lahore Qalandars in PSL 2025, after which Hobart Hurricanes drafted him for the upcoming BBL season.

Rishad is likely to be available for the full BBL season and is looking forward to link up with Ricky Ponting, the franchise's head of strategy.

"As a legspinner, if I get to play in these foreign leagues, it will be good for me and for my bowling," Rishad said in an interaction organised by Hurricanes. "I'll get opportunities to improve my skills.

"Ponting was one of my favourite players growing up; I used to watch him play. I'm really looking forward to working with him. More than the players, I'm looking forward to working with Ricky Ponting and playing under his coaching."

For Bangladesh, Rishad plays the role of a middle-overs wicket-taker, something he wants to do for the Hurricanes as well.

"As a legspinner, my job is to take wickets after the powerplay. I hope to continue that in Hobart," he said. "My goal is to create doubt in the batter's mind by using different angles. It's just another variation. I believe in my strengths, and day by day I'm trying to improve - even if it's just by one or two percent - without thinking too much about the future."

Rishad also has recent form on his side. He has taken at least one wicket in seven of the last eight T20Is - including five wickets in the recent T20I series against Afghanistan in Sharjah that Bangladesh won 3-0. He will be an important part of Bangladesh's ODI attack too for the three-match series that begins on Wednesday.

"I think it was important to get off to a good start right after the Asia Cup," Rishad said. "Winning the series is always a good feeling."

What was particularly impressive about the Bangladesh spin attack was how they outbowled the Afghanistan spinners. Bangladesh's spinners had a much better average and strike rate, even though they took ten wickets compared to 11 by Afghanistan's spinners. Rishad's bowling partner Nasum Ahmed was even adjudged the Player of the Series for five wickets at an economy rate of 5.58.

"They have a lot of world-class bowlers in their side, so we tried to analyse them as much as we could before every game," Rishad said about the Afghanistan spinners. "We got success [too]."

Bangladesh are also finding out other sides of Rishad. His big-hitting ability became known last year when he cracked seven sixes in his of 30-ball 53 against Sri Lanka. His fielding impact was illustrated by his stunning run-out of Abhishek Sharma in the Asia Cup.

"That situation demanded that we take a wicket," Rishad said. "I was trying to create an opportunity, maybe with a diving catch or a fielding effort - anything to change the momentum of the game since it was on their side at that time, and it happened."