An Overview Of DPL Teams (3)
Doleshwar stronger than ever
Prime Doleshwar, the new forces in the Dhaka Premier League, are looking forward to getting one better than the third-place finish when new season kicks off in October.
Doleshwar were in the title race in their very first season at the top flight last year before they were forced to finish third on net run rate despite earning equal points to runners-up Sheikh Jamal.
They formed an even better side this time by recruiting national skipper Mushfiqur Rahim and pace bowler Shafiul Islam from Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club, among others.
The club also retained the services of Mominul Haque to complete their quota of three national pool players.
‘Last year we were very close but failed,’ coach Mizanur Rahman told New Age on Sunday. ‘We could not keep up the momentum and took our lesson this time and from the very beginning we concentrated on forming a good side.
‘Mushfiq performed outstandingly in the last league and he was also a true leader in all sense. Hopefully he can replicate the form that enabled him to score four centuries for Jamal in the last season.’
Mizanur was banking on the strength of unity that he puts ahead of everything and said it should be the core reason if a team are to be successful in a tournament.
‘I think we have to emphasise on unity as that separates the winners from the losers,’
Rony Talukdar, Mehedi Maruf, Asif Ahmed and Zubair Ahmed and foreigner Dawid Malan, who scored 406 runs at 67.67 last season, will join Mushfiq and Mominul in the batting line-up while the spin attack will be led by Elias Sunny and highly-regarded Sanjamul Islam.
With Mukter Ali and Delwar Hossain joining up with Shafiul Islam, Doleshwar also have a pace attack that can trouble any opponents.
The departure of national players, who will be busy with the home series against Zimbabwe during some part of the league, will also not affect the team much, said coach Mizanur.
‘They [national players] will miss just six to seven matches but we have enough back-up players,’ said Mizanur adding that Golam Rahman Himel will play as wicketkeeper-batsman in the absence of Mushfiq.
‘Every top team will face a similar problem. We would like to see that we pass through the phase without much damage,’ said Mizanur. ‘When the national players will be back we believe we will have the edge.’
The only regret of Doleshwar coach is the departure of last year’s captain Farhad Reza, who was a standout performer last season.
‘He led the team from the front and performed brilliantly. We just hope Mushfiq does the same for us,’ he said.
Squad
Mushfiqur Rahim, Shafiul Islam, Mominul Haque, Jubair Ahmed, Hamidul Islam, Habibur Rahman, Elias Sunny, Muktar Ali, Delwar Hossain, Asif Ahmed, Shahidur Rahman, Sanjamul Islam, Mizanur Rahman, Mohammad Mamun Hossain, Rony Talukder.
-With New Age input
