Opening batsman Anamul Haque took the Dhaka Premier League as an opportunity to erase the question mark that was labeled on his batting approach and eventually cost him his place in the national team. Anamul struck his first century of the league on Monday, a blistering 100 off 85 balls that helped his team Gazi Group to secure a comfortable six-wicket win over Cricket Coaching School at Mipur.
Owing to the century, Anamul, who also hit fifty against Prime Bank, is now joint top-scorer in the league after the three rounds along with Mahbubul Karim of Sheikh Jamal Dhannmondi Club.
The highlight of the batting of Anamul, who has 209 runs to his name, is his 82.93 strike rate and 12 sixes in three matches, the highest among all batsmen in the league so far.
They came as answer to some of his critics, who branded him as a selfish cricketer, one who always preferred his personal interest ahead of team and consumed unnecessary balls to help himself get settled.
He was told to change his batting approach several times by the national selectors and team-management and it appeared that the 23-year right-hander took his lesson.
‘I am improving day by day,’ Anamul told reporters at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Monday. ‘I am trying hard to rectify my shortcomings from morning till evening.
‘I hope there will be some good things in the future,’ he said.
Anamul said that despite being accused of batting slowly that eventually ended up affecting his strike rate, he was never given with any solution during his stint in the national team.
‘I was never shown any way to amend my mistakes,’ said Anamul.
Anamul added that he is trying to go past over his own achievements in the coming days.
‘I always want to transcend my earlier achievements,’ said Anamul.
‘Last year I scored two centuries in the league, let’s see if that can be increased or not.
‘Earlier I used to work for four hours now I am trying to work for six hours.
‘I am trying to see how I can be more professional,’ he said.
Anamul who scored the century after a long break also credited national skipper Mashrafee bin Murtaza for being an inspiration.
Mashrafee was among the spectators in Mirpur and personally appreciated him during the match along with selector Habibul Bashar. It helped him switch the gear as he played some explosive shots after reaching his fifty off 54 balls.
His next fifty runs came off 30 balls before he was finally dismissed.
‘He [Mashrafee] is always inspiring,’ said Anamul. I felt good when he clapped at my fifty. It’s not that I am ready for the national team or things like that but when he
smiled with Suman Bhai [Bashar] after my hundred it made me feel good,’ he added.
-With New Age input
