A future friend or foe?
The list of players who played cricket for two separate nations is quite select: twenty six cricketers represented two international level teams, fourteen played Test cricket, nine have played ODIs, four of whom have played in the T20 format as well. Only two cricketers in the history of the game played for two teams across different formats.
Bangladesh however does not have a single player on the list nor has anyone on it represented the country. However, 13-year-old Australia-born Bangladeshi Rahid Alam may be the first.
The son of businessman Jahangir Alam, Rahid is a regular feature in Sydney's Beverly Hills Eagles Club and was also the captain of the New South Wales Under-12 team in 2014.
At age seven he initially began his cricketing journey under Barry John Richardson, who worked with Sri Lanka legend Sanath Jayasuriya and was the Waugh brothers' coach during the age level stage.
Before Richardson passed from cancer in 2012 he termed Rahid a 'future prospect'.
Rahid, an opening batsman who doubles as a wicketkeeper, caught coaches' attention when he scored 587 runs, including six fifties, from 13 matches in a calendar season.
No cricketer from Beverly Hills Eagles Club has represented Australia so far, but club officials are optimistic about Rahid's chances of making it on the biggest stage.
Interestingly Rahid, who idolises Bangladesh's Mushfiqur Rahim and Australia's Usman Khawaja, came all the way from Australia with his father to Bangladesh to watch his favourite players from both teams as he dreams to represent either side one day.
The youngster plans to return here later this year and spend some time at the BKSP to try his luck there.
"My favourite player from Bangladesh is Mushfiqur Rahim and from Australia it's Usman Khawaja. I dream of playing for Bangladesh and for Australia as well, but at the moment I'm just enjoying my game. My father encourages me all the time and incited me to come and watch Australia play in Bangladesh.
"I have a plan to return to Bangladesh later this year and hopefully I will play in BKSP but at the same time I would like to continue my cricket in Australia. My initial target is to reach the age-level phase in New South Wales and later the Sheffield Shield followed by the A team and then the Australia national team," Rahid told the Daily Star at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.
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