The much talked about BPL2019 takes off today with great funfair and gaiety promised by Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). BCB has dedicated this year’s tournament to the immortal memory of the father of Bangladeshi nation Bangabandhu.
This year the tournament is planned and is being anchored and managed by BCB without usual role of different franchise. The multi Crore Taka work mega opening ceremony will feature performances of Bollywood Mega Stars Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif and others including Bangladeshi rockstar James and Momtaz. However, this event will be mostly restricted to VVIPs and sponsors. Media reports evidence that the opening ceremony failed to create any such interest among cricket admirers as it used to be seen. This BPL is being held following disastrous performance of Bangladesh team in immediate past test series in India. We also understand no event by BCB can match the great non rocking and rolling show that BCCI created on the occasion of first day night cricket test in India at Eden Gardens. Bangladesh required extensive post mortem of poor show and taking lessons should have concentrated on preparing the team for the ensuing full series against Pakistan.
Cricket players and admirers want to see top players performing in cricket ground. India and IPL has reasons for Bollywood integration as most IPL franchise is owned and sponsored by leading Bollywood icons. The same is not the case in Bangladesh. True cricket needs entertainment. But at this moment of depletion of Bangladesh cricket greater focus is essential on cricket and cricketers.
We have checked the list of foreign recruits of the 7 teams and their preparations for this year’s tournament. There are going to be not many great players appearing in this years BPL. Hence, the talks of finding new talents for the ICC T20 world cup from BPL 2019 may not be justified. Bangladesh after this tournament will get no time to prepare its team for the test series against Pakistan in Pakistan. BCB in any case would organize international matches between World XI and Asia XI in 2020 on the occasion of Bangabandhu birth centenary. Hence cricket admirers found very little justification for tagging Bangabandhu name with BPL2019. We are not sure whether this tournament would attract capacity spectators as have been the feature in the past. Hope the calculative risk taken by BCB would be successful.
The tournament however will present unique opportunity for Tamim Iqbal, Mohammad Saifuddin and Taskin Ahmed getting back into form. Tamim has not played any competitive cricket for a while after his slump in form in CWC 2019 and Sri Lanka tour. Saifuddin had a recurring injury problem which forced this pace bowling all rounder out of action during India tour. Taskin for his recurring injuries could not force his way back into Bangladesh team. BPL 2019 will present them with unique opportunity for fine tuning. Few other national players like Soumya, Liton, Mahmudullah and Mushfique must sharpen their skills and temperament. Hope younger talents like Naim, Afiff, Aminul, Saif would also grab the opportunities with both hands learning lessons rubbing shoulders with international players and being cared by some top coaching staff. However, players must be alert against injuries and concentrate on fitness.
We hope since the tournament is happening and getting into action players would apply themselves with total commitments. The expensive BCB coaching staff including the head coach should have been here in Bangladesh during the entire tournament.
BDST: 1528 HRS, DEC 08, 2019
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