It’s early May and the temperature is 33 degrees Celsius. When you step out from the house, you start to feel the heat, along with high humidity. Such is the temperature that you feel it is better to stay at home.
However, despite the harshness of the hot sun, intense atmosphere prevails in the cricket field every time the cricketers play in the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League. This is the most prestigious 50-over tournament in the country, and the cricketers' biggest source of income.
The hot weather might affect some working people but that isn’t quite the case for the professional cricketers in Bangladesh. Interestingly, the players crave for such weather as rain can often damage a cricketer’s season.
The Dhaka league has always been the major source of income for all the local cricketers of the country, be it national discards or emerging cricketers. Although the scale of payment has often been criticised, the cricketers somehow accept it. With that said, no matter what the wage, the clubs' expectations are always high every time the cricketers walk out on the field.
Apart from the Dhaka league, the other sources of income are the National Cricket League, a first-class competition, the Bangladesh Cricket League, another first-class tournament, and not to forget, the glamorous yet controversial Bangladesh Premier League T20.
The BCB is yet to form a proper cricket calendar and mostly, all the tournaments often tend to be delayed or rescheduled for weather and various other reasons.
So it’s almost impossible for a professional cricketer to prepare himself setting a specific target towards the upcoming fixtures. The scenario is totally opposite to those of the other domestic competitions of the top Test-playing nations.
When queried about the “unfavourable” weather and the payment issues, along with a lack of training facilities or even the absence of a cricket calendar, the cricketers signify the importance of doing “what is within their control”.
They say it is essential to focus on aspects which are under their control. And those include hard training, individual and team drills, and most importantly, lead a respectful life.
Bangladesh's Naeem Islam, who has played eight Tests, 59 ODIs and 10 T20Is, contested his last international match in March, 2014. Thereafter, he was left out as his slow batting approach does not quite serve the team's purpose.
The 30-year old however, has been a prolific run-scorer in the domestic first-class and List A competitions, including the Dhaka league. There are around 100-120 top level players like Naeem in the country.
Having experienced both sides of the coin, Naeem said life is totally different for a national cricketer, compared to a national discard.
“Obviously there is more financial back-up when you play for the national team. But apart from the national cricketers, it’s almost same for a discard or an emerging cricketer. However, to be honest, being a professional cricketer I am happy regarding my income. But of course we all want to be secured financially for future,” Naeem told Dhaka Tribune on Friday.
According to the all-rounder, the main concern for a professional cricketer is getting proper training facilities. He informed that it is not an easy task to use the indoors of the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium or the Academy ground adjacent to the home of cricket.
“We hardly get enough time to prepare during the off season due to lack of facilities. Though we can practise indoors, it's not that simple when you are not a current player of the national team. I think it's important for a cricketer to prepare himself in the off season,” said Naeem.
Regarding his preparation and how he leads his life as a professional cricketer, the hard-hitting Naeem, who is the only Bangladesh batsman to hit six sixes in an over in domestic cricket, said, “Obviously you have to have dedication and passion and love for the game. I did not set any target for myself that I have to return to the national team. Rather, I want to enjoy my cricket. Whatever happens, it's impossible for a cricketer to stay away from this game and being a professional cricketer, I have some responsibilities to remain honest over what I do,” he added.