Fear factor went away after T20 WC game against India - Hasan

Ahead of the game against India in the last edition of T20 World Cup, Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan said he was impressed with young fast bowler Hasan Mahmud for his cricketing brain. "I think he is going to be a big prospect for Bangladesh in future," Shakib had said ahead of the game. And Mahmud did not disappoint him either, picking a career best 3-47 in Adelaide.

Bangladesh lost the game to India but the experience did a world of good for Hasan, who is now bowling regularly at the death and has the belief that he can do well against the best in the business. According to him it was his performance against India that helped him get rid of the fear factor as he excelled against England in the opening T20I in Chattogram.

"It was my first match against India in the World Cup and after the game against India the fear factor went away (playing against big teams). It became easy for me here (against England)," Hasan said ahead of the second T20I.

Hasan didn't have the best of starts in the opening game as Jos Butler hit him for successive sixes in his first spell. But when he returned to bowl against him in the 17th over, Hasan was well prepared. He bowled the first delivery of his second spell fuller outside the off stump that Butler tried to clear over long on only to get caught. The wicket changed the complexion of the game as Hasan gave away only five runs off his last two overs and also added the wicket of Sam Curran to finish with 2 for 26.

"He (Butler) hit two successive sixes but I didn't look at it and I was just focusing on what I want to do. And my challenge was to bowl differently in the next two overs and I was trying to do that," said Hasan. "I try to bowl ball by ball and all I think is bowling a dot ball. Even if I am hit for a boundary, I try to stick to my strength and I like to show my character during that point of time. I want to take that challenge.

Hasan added that captain Shakib has the confidence in him to bowl in the death overs, and he has been enjoying the responsibility. "Perhaps he thinks I can defend so he gives the ball to me. I am feeling good because I am giving some moments to the team that is creating a situation for the team to win the game. It's a big responsibility for me and I am enjoying it."

Having registered their first ever T20I win against England to take a 1-0 lead, Hasan is confident that Bangladesh will seal the series in the second match. "I think as the game will be played in Mirpur it will be good wicket. Till now we have played well and we beat them in Chattogram and we will try to beat them here. The momentum is on our side and we need to keep that. At the moment the team we have is one of the best bunch players in (T20Is), they are all very energetic and give a lot of effort."