Mosaddek Hossain Saikat was born 10 December 1995 is a Bangladeshi cricketer who plays for the Bangladesh national cricket team and for Barisal Division in domestic cricket. He made his international debut for Bangladesh in January 2016. He holds the highest strike rate in Asia Cup 2022. Mosaddek Hossain, who comes from a family of cricketers, snuck up on Bangladesh cricket’s consciousness during the 2013 Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League, helping Abahani Limited stay afloat in a disastrous campaign. He struck a century and three fifties, before having to head to the Bangladesh Under-19 training camp ahead of the 2014 World Cup in the UAE. The opportunity to get out of age-group cricket quite early proved to be an important milestone in his development.
His first-class debut in the 2013-14 season wasn’t memorable: he got a pair against Khulna in Cox’s Bazar. But in the following season, he struck 250 and 282, his first two hundred-plus scores in first-class cricket. He added another double-hundred in 2015. A Twenty20 International debut followed in January 2016, but it was a forgettable one against Zimbabwe. By then it was clear that he wouldn’t be in coach Chandika Hathurusingha’s 2016 World T20 plans.
Mosaddek Hossain is another one of those ‘Jack’ in the pack kind of player. He can bat, he can bowl and he is useful. This would be his maiden World Cup and having notched up a heroic 24-ball 52 against West Indies in a tri-series final in Ireland, Mosaddek almost has snatched that number 7 position from Sabbir Rahman. His offies will also add value to his overall package. Having been on the fringes since his debut in 2016, Mosaddek came in mostly as an injury back-up for Mahmudullah during the New Zealand series in February. But since has showed his skills at crucial times to eke a place in the squad.
Though wrist spinners are expected to rule the roost, finger spinners are still in fashion. A few tight overs in a run fest might just be what this new kid on the block might deliver. Or may be a match defining cameo, Mosaddek will have various opportunities to showcase his talent on the big stage.