2024-02-18 15:06:04
“The biggest strength of my team is that I have two of the best fast bowlers in Bangladesh. The main two bowlers of Bangladesh’s pace battery. I will expect them to pick up wickets with the new ball. Will pressure the opponent. We are lucky that we were able to hold those two.’ – Khaled Mahmud Sujan, the coach of the team, was speaking at the end of the first day’s practice of the great Dhaka just before the start of the BPL.
Shariful Islam has fulfilled the expectations of Khaled Mahmud. Taskin Ahmed could not. Taskin and Shariful played for Dhaka Dominators in the ninth season of BPL. This time, the great Dhaka took them first in a direct contract before the draft. The expectation was that the two pacers of the national team would make the task easier. Shariful tops the list of bowlers with the highest 22 wickets so far. Taskin got only 13 wickets.
Naeem Sheikh is in the top three in the list of run scorers like Shariful. Whose run is 310 runs. Second highest among natives. Third overall. Although Naeem and Shariful have flown their flag in terms of runs and wickets, their mission in BPL is ‘unfinished’. Because in the BPL, both of their teams were full. They are the first to leave the tournament after losing 11 of 12 matches. That’s why both of them are not able to enjoy their personal achievements very much.
Left-arm pacer Shariful said, ‘Cricket is a team game at the end of the day. Even if you do a lot individually, your achievements don’t count if the team doesn’t do well. Maybe my name is in discussion. But the performance of the team is important. Naeem Sheikh, who scored two fifties and a strike rate of 119.69, also said the same thing, “We did not do well as a team. So the mind is bad. It’s not that we were bad as a team. I couldn’t play very well.’
Shariful, Naeem each believe they had the chance to do better, ‘where I finished if I could have played in the playoffs or higher and taken more wickets. The rhythm I was in will have some regrets.’ Naeem said like this, ‘I started some innings but got out with a very bad shot. I couldn’t get runs where the innings was meant to be extended. A couple of innings were good. But there was more opportunity to do better.’
Although Naeem regretted his performance, the left-handed batsman returned to the national team with his BPL performance. He is in the three-match T20 series against Sri Lanka. Although there are three other openers in his position, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Liton Das, Enamul Haque Vijay. Naeem is not sure if he will get the chance. But if he gets a chance, Hela doesn’t want to lose, ‘I’m not sure if I’ll get a chance. But the coach will definitely see me. I would certainly like to have the opportunity. I will definitely try to count if I get a chance.’
Shariful has nothing to prove himself. He had a great time in international cricket last year. The beginning of this year is also good. Shariful will return to international cricket with the Sri Lanka series. As the last year has passed, he wants to spend the current year in this rhythm, ‘I had a good time last year. There was room for improvement. They are being worked on. I want this year to be good. As a team we can go to a strong position. Let your performance be good.’