All-rounder Mahmudullah and top-order batsman Imrul Kayes pushed for on-song left-arm pacer Mehedi Hasan Rana in the Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier Twenty20.
The 22-year-old Rana had gone unsold in the BBPL Players’ Draft held in November, as none of the teams showed interest in the young bowler.
After the player draft, Chattogram Challengers were looking for a fast bowling option, and both Mahmudullah and Imrul thought of putting trust in the uncapped pacer.
Rana has since justified their faith, with 12 wickets in four games to top the BBPL wicket chart, prior to Saturday's match against Rangpur Rangers at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.
“Riyad bhai [Mahmudullah] and I had taken a kind of challenge with Rana. We took him after he had gone unsold in the player draft. We have now got him as a trump card. He is doing his job really well,” Chattogram stand-in captain Kayes told the media Friday.
“I think it has been good for his career. You will find many bowlers who did not get a BPL team, and people do not know them. There might be many bowlers like Rana. I strongly believe he will do better in the coming days,” the left-handed batsman added.
@ctgchallengers maintained their winning run in the Bangabandhu @BCBtigers Bangladesh Premier League T20 as they beat Cumilla Warriors by 16 runs at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong Friday.https://t.co/BhwxPYknbA#BBPLT20 #BBPL #T20 #BPLT20 #BPL #BCBTIGERS #BCB
— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) December 20, 2019
Rana has garnered high praise for his performance amid the run frenzy in the tournament.
The BBPL has so far been brilliant for the batters, with 200 plus totals made to look easy.
However, Rana has made his mark by being economical while taking wickets.
Friday, the game between Chattogram and Cumilla Warriors saw a total of 460 runs being scored with the loss of 11 wickets in 40 overs.
But Rana was magnificent with his spell of 28 runs in four overs, with four wickets at an economy rate of just 7.