& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

Locals make up ground in Ctg

Nabid Yeasin
A Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League (BBPL) that seemed at first to lack enthusiasm has seen some colourful moments, at least on the field,
when the country's biggest domestic league moved to Chattogram on December 17.
The usual hype surrounding the BBPL was missing from the beginning. And while the first Dhaka phase had seen some glimpses of brilliance, it was still not what the fans had been waiting for, as evidenced by the low turnout in Mirpur. Based on trend and past experience, it was however expected that the Chattogram phase would provide what the fans look for in a T20 game - high scoring contests. And in that regard, the recently concluded Chattogram phase lived up to expectations.
Two out of the 12 fixtures played at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium saw teams piling up 200-plus scores in both the innings. Chasing a mammoth 221 for four posted byChattogram Challengers on the second day of the Chattogram phase, Dhaka Platoon came to within 17 runs of winning. The home side went on to pile up yet another 200-plus score in their next match when they posted 238 for four — the second highest BPL score ever — only to survive a scare from Cumilla Warriors, who reached 222 for seven in chase of the mammoth total.
Even Sylhet Thunder, who were hammered in
their first four games, picked up their first points in style. In reply to their astounding 232 for five, Khulna Tigers could only muster a modest 152 as they tasted their first defeat.
This BBPL, touted as the perfect platform for locals to emerge and make their way into the national squad for the T20 World Cup next year, has seen local players excel in Chattogram. Chattogram's left-arm pacer Mehedi Hasan Rana, who played just one of three fixtures in Dhaka, played all four matches in the Chattogram phase and ended on top of the wicket takers' list with 13 from five games. The 22-year-old was able to extract movement early and was impressive in the slog overs. Rana had taken two four-wicket hauls and a three-for at an economy rate of 5.75 in a game where Dhaka Platoon had slammed most of the Chattogram bowlers during their 205 all out.
Another local that lit up the BBPL, albeit late in the Chattogram phase, was Dhaka's off-spinner Mahedi Hasan. The 25-year-old had raised some eyebrows when he was promoted to bat at number three, had repaid the team management's trust by smashing a 29-ball 59
after already having shone with the ball with miserly figures of two for nine against Cumilla. He proved that he was not a one-hit-wonder when he followed up this performance with another match-winning 28-ball 56 against Sylhet Thunder the very next day.
Meanwhile, the likes of Liton Das and Imrul Kayes had continued to show glimpses of brilliance in Chattogram after decent showings in Dhaka, while stalwart Mushfiqur Rahim scored his career-best BPL score - a 51-ball 96 while guiding Khulna Tigers to a five-wicket win over Rajshahi Royals in the opening game of the phase. Locals also shone at the end of the phase. Even though Tamim Iqbal's unbeaten 60 against Sylhet on the final day was not the quickest, but it would sure boost the left-hander who joined his side midway through the phase after recovering from sickness. And in the final game, it was yet another local all-rounder, Afif Hossain, who trumped a Dawid Malan century with a brilliant 53-ball 76 to help Rajshahi beat Cumilla convincingly.
Although the Chattogram phase saw locals step up, their influence in transforming a competitive score into a mammoth one is still debatable. When Chattogram posted 238 for four, it was the unbeaten 27-ball 71 blitz from foreigner Chadwick Walton that had done the trick. In the same game, Cumilla could not have scored anywhere near 222 if it was not for Malan's 38-ball 84. Even when Sylhet romped to their first victory, it was courtesy of an unbeaten 103 from Andre Fletcher and another 38-ball 90 from fellow West Indian Johnson Charles.
Even though this BPL has less star power compared to previous editions, the likes of Malan, Walton and Fletcher still seem to be overpowering the locals when it comes to taking the batting to the next level.