Bangladesh's biggest and most popular T20 tournament, Bangladesh Premier League, will get underway in Mirpur Friday after brushing aside concerns raised by rise in Covid-19 cases in the country.
Six teams will battle for ultimate glory in the tournament's eighth installment - a special edition to mark the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Let's take a look at the teams who have contrasting features, but one common aim - to lift Bangladesh's premier T20 trophy.
Fortune Barishal
Fortune Barishal grabbed star all-rounder Shakib al Hasan in the early stage of team building and the side instantly became the center of attraction.
Khaled Mahmud is the coach of the team and the Shakib-Mahmud pair as captain-coach will bring high hopes for Barishal to challenge for the trophy.
Shakib’s form was not great in the last T20 domestic competition and the maverick all-rounder is hoping to perform and lead from the front in this year’s BPL.
Young and consistent performers in the domestic circuit like top-order batsmen Nazmul Hossain Shanto and Towhid Hridoy, wicketkeeper-batsman Nurul Hasan Sohan, off-spinner Nayeem Hassan and veteran all-rounder Ziaur Rahman will play crucial roles in Barishal’s campaign.
But among their overseas signings, two players stand out as champions and legendary players in T20 history and they are none other than Universe Boss Chris Gayle and the most successful all-rounder in the shortest format, Dwayne Bravo.
Gayle has scored over 14,000 runs in T20s in his long and illustrious career and Bravo made over 6,000 and taken more than 500 wickets in his glorious journey.
Their numbers prove their legendary status in this format and no doubt these two Windies legends will be key players for Barishal in the money-spinning event.
Bravo has already joined the squad and is likely to play from the opening match but Gayle might miss the first few games.
Along with these two, Shakib’s all-round ability is a big strength for Barishal and under the captaincy of Shakib the side are firmly fixated towards clinching the title.
Fortune Barishal Squad
Local players
Shakib al Hasan (captain), Nurul Hasan, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Mehedi Hasan Rana, Fazle Mahmud Rabbi, Towhid Hridoy, Ziaur Rahman, Shafiqul Islam, Saykat Ali, Nayeem Hasan, Taijul Islam, Salman Hossain, Irfan Sukkur, Munim Shahriar
Overseas players
Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Afghanistan), Chris Gayle, Obed McCoy, Alzarri Joseph and Dwayne Bravo (West Indies), Jake Lintott (England)
