Shakib: Important for us to continue growth in T20Is

Tigers’ T20I captain Shakib al Hasan has requested the concerned authority to arrange domestic T20 tournaments, apart from the Bangladesh Premier League T20. The urge from the ace all-rounder came within days after the Tigers returned home following a heart-breaking defeat in the Nidahas T20I tri-nation series final against India at R Premadasa Cricket Stadium in Colombo Sunday. Bangladesh, despite T20Is being their weakest format, had put on sensational performances in the series also involving host Sri Lanka, held in Colombo from March 4 to March 18. The Tigers had advanced to the final based on their nail-biting wins over the Lankans. Shakib on the occasion of his 31st birthday celebration organised by his fans told the media about the necessity of holding a separate domestic T20 tournament for Bangladesh cricketers in order to improve their performance in the shortest format of the game.

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“I heard the board will organise a T20 tournament only for the locals, besides the BPL, comprising the six clubs of the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League. The tournament, if it takes place, should help Bangladesh cricketers to improve in the shortest format,” said Shakib to the media Friday. The BCB during the BPL T20 2017 had mulled of holding a T20 tournament involving Bangladesh cricketers only. The plan of holding such tournament had come from the BCB after facing criticism over allowing five overseas cricketers in the playing XI of the BPL teams in the 2017 season held from November-December. Shakib, based on Bangladesh’s recent performance in the Nidahas series, claimed the side have come a long way in the T20I format and playing the final of the earlier this month in Sri Lanka was a testament to that. “We have proved after reaching the final of the Nidahas series that Bangladesh can play in this format [T20I] as well and it’s important for us to continue the growth,” Shakib said.