The performance of national players in the first two rounds of Dhaka Premier League matches has been impressive ahead of the forthcoming series against New Zealand, national skipper Mushfiqur Rahim said on Monday. Pace bowler Rubel Hossain has claimed 11 wickets, including a hattrick and back-to-back five-wicket hauls, while national opener Tamim Iqbal blazed with a century on a very difficult wicket at BKSP.
Naeem Islam has also scored a century, while Nasir Hossain began his campaign with a man-of-the-match effort. Ziaur Rahman also batted impressively in the opening match.
‘It’s encouraging to see that the national players are dominating the league,’ Mushfiq said at Mirpur on Monday.
‘It reflects the amount of hard work that we have put in during the last two months.’
‘We were asked to perform at our best in the league so that our confidence level would remain high before the New Zealand series, because we won’t get much time otherwise.’ he added.
Mushfiq was particularly impressed with pace bowler Rubel Hossain, who could not perform to his full potential during the last tour of Zimbabwe having returned to cricket after an elbow operation.
‘I am very impressed with Rubel,’ said Mushfiq.
‘The best part of his bowling is he is still
economical. Earlier he used to pick wickets but the economy rate used to be high.
‘From that point of view it proves he is bowling in the right area,’ he added.
The wicket keeper batsman also praised the decision to go through with the Dhaka Premier League, which had remained uncertain for most of the year due to various crises.
‘It is better than not playing,’ said Mushfiq.
‘We could not [otherwise] have had the chance to get enough match practice ahead of the crucial series,’ the Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club captain continued.
‘Perhaps we could play one or two three-day matches, but because of the DPL we are getting the chance to play competitive cricket.
‘It also gave us the opportunity to see where we stand at the moment,’ he added.
‘It would have better if it was organized earlier, but still it is good to play the league.’
Mushfiq was also concerned that Bangladesh would have to play in the preliminary round of the ICC World Twenty20 next year despite hosting the tournament.
‘I am confused about it because I had never heard that the host nation has to play a qualifier or any such format,’ Mushfiq said candidly.
‘I only came to know about it through [national team coach] Shane [Jurgensen], though he could not confirm it.
‘It is concerning, but now that is has happened we have to play to our hundred percent because that is the only thing we can do,’ he concluded.
-With New Age input
