From a career-altering injury to match-winning spells in Australia and a historic Test hat-trick in Abu Dhabi, Hasan Mahmud is becoming the pace spearhead Bangladesh can rely on.
It’s the closing stages of a long and arduous five days in Abu Dhabi. Despite several opportunities to land the decisive blow, Bangladesh are still trying to knock out their spirited opponents, Afghanistan.
In a frantic final session, chances to take the final few wickets have already been squandered, and the fielding is beginning to fray in the unrelenting heat. Hasan Mahmud is stationed at deep midwicket, having already bowled 47 overs in the match. Fatigue would have been understandable.
Then comes a moment that will linger. The ball sails high towards Hasan after an ungainly swipe from Qais Ahmad. Picking up the trajectory late, he almost stumbles into position. It is the sort of regulation chance that you would expect to be swallowed up. This time, however, the ball spills from his grasp. Qais survives and Afghanistan, through defiance and a touch of fortune, secure a draw that feels every bit as valuable as a victory.
For Hasan, it was a rare moment of disappointment. The previous few months and years have largely been defined by the opposite. The 25-year-old has emerged as the leader of Bangladesh’s pace attack, building a reputation for taking wickets that matter. His recent exploits against Australia underlined that growing stature. Hasan claimed nine wickets in the Darwin Test, dismissed both Australian openers twice, collected a five-wicket haul and walked away with the ‘Player of the Match’ award.
In Bangladesh’s forgettable 2024 tour of India, Hasan claimed another five-for, the first by a Bangladesh bowler on Indian soil. The scalps of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant signalled Hasan’s taste for the big stage and his all-round wicket-taking ability.
Even in Abu Dhabi, where the dropped catch threatened to become the defining image, Hasan’s impact on the match was impossible to ignore. He became the first Bangladesh fast bowler to claim a Test hat-trick and only the third Bangladesh bowler overall to achieve the feat. He also registered another five-wicket haul, further enhancing a record that now places him in rare company. Few Bangladesh bowlers have enjoyed such success across such varied overseas conditions.
For former Bangladesh captain and current chief selector Habibul Bashar, Hasan’s rise comes as no surprise.
“I have seen him from the beginning,” Bashar tells The CricHub. “When I was a selector before, he was in our high-performance squad. He bowls around 130 kph these days, but when he started, he was bowling 140-plus. He was very fast. But then he had an injury. He lost one year and his pace was reduced.”
Trading pace for precision
Rather than limiting him, that setback appears to have reshaped him.
“But now he’s more of a seam bowler,” Bashar explains. “He can swing the ball, seam the ball and his channel is very good. He lost a little bit of pace, but he gained that accuracy and the seam movement, which was fantastic. I’m very happy. He has a fantastic action.”
The transformation has been evident in the way Hasan attacks batters. No longer reliant solely on speed, he has become a craftsman, repeatedly finding the right lengths, extracting movement and forcing mistakes. His ability to strike early and remove top-order batters has become one of Bangladesh’s most valuable weapons.
More than just a red-ball bowler
While much of the recent attention has centred on his Test performances, Bashar believes Hasan’s strengths extend far beyond the longest format.
“He’s bowled well in red-ball cricket, but I’m telling you, he’s as good in white-ball cricket,” Bashar says. “He can bowl the best death overs. He is very good at it. So I’m very happy to see him doing well, though I’m not surprised. This is what he is.”
County cricket and the lessons in responsibility
Another important chapter in Hasan’s development came away from home. His stint with Kent earlier this year, in county cricket, was pivotal in the club’s promotion-winning season. He produced 26 wickets in four matches, and the experience exposed him to new challenges and greater personal responsibility, which Bashar believes accelerated his growth.
“County cricket teaches you a lot of things,” Bashar says. “In Bangladesh, sometimes the bowlers rely on management a lot.
“But what I heard from Hasan is that in county cricket you have to look after yourself. They also have a game plan, but you have to be responsible for your own performance. That makes you more confident. And honestly, when you play top-grade cricket, your performance will definitely go higher.”
A leader emerging through performance
The changes are not only visible in his bowling. Those around the Bangladesh camp suggest Hasan has become a cricketer increasingly comfortable taking responsibility within the group. An introvert by nature, Hasan is gradually becoming a leader, both through performance and presence.
The dropped catch in Abu Dhabi might remain a frustrating footnote, but it does little to alter the broader story. It’s been a tale of continuous improvement. Hasan has become the bowler Bangladesh increasingly turn to when they need control, calmness or potency. And more often than not, he is the one who delivers it.
