The Bangladesh Premier League is now over. As teams go, Sheikh Russell Krira Chakra was far and away the best side and they claimed the shiny silver trophy in a canter. The competition was blessed with a number of wonderful players. The Dhaka Tribune asked Sheikh Russell coach Maruful Haque to come up with a best local XI from all the talent that was on show. Maruf selected a 4-2-3-1 formation for his XI, which he believes best suites the players he chose.
Goalkeeper Maksudur Rahman Mostaque (Sheikh Jamal) Young goalkeeper Mostaque is getting better with time as he is gathering more experience. With him in front of the posts Jamal had nine clean sheets out of 16 in the season while he conceded only nine goals. For the simple reason that no starting goalkeeper has conceded fewer goals in the League this season, makes Mostaque the list. Right-back Raihan Hasan (Sk Jamal) Becoming a runner-up with a strike rate of 1.18 per match is a very hard task for any team but presence of talented youngsters like Raihan made this task possible for Jamal. The ability of creating harmony among all the defenders, while sometimes helping the forward overlap quickly, made Raihan an effective right-back. No wonder the 20 year-old scored a goal as well in this season. Left-back Yeamin Ahmed Munna (Sheikh Jamal) The national discard is a good player with controlling skills while his crosses are also highly effective. He maintains the defence-line strictly, regardless of how much pressure the opponents put. In my opinion, he is the best choice for this position in Bangladesh and this is why all the other major clubs had to go for foreigners for this position. Centre–back Nasiruddin Chowdhury (Sheikh Jamal) The robust defender is one of the fittest players in the league and isn’t often injured. His physical strength gave him the advantage of being able to rush on the ball in making clearances and he has an almost perfect header when the threat is in the air. He also has the agility to recover quickly if he makes an error and he also reads the game well, with the sense of how to initiate and build up an attack. Centre-back Kasto Kumar (Team BJMC) In a season where goals have been flying in left, right and centre for BJMC Kasto however was not the easiest one to beat. The mental strength of the player gave him the power to stand tall against all adversity and no doubt he is the best in the country in one on one situations, no matter who he is fighting with. Moreover, he has the skill of long passing, as well as general defensive abilities like heading and tackling. Defensive-midfield (Captain) Mamunul Islam (Sk Russell) He is the key player of my team because of his ability to control the pace of a game. He has the right sense when to hold a ball and when to release. He moves faster than anyone in the midfield and dominates the whole ground with speed and skill, earning his team three titles in a single season. No wonder he is in line to become one of the richest players by the end of the season. Central-midfield Atiqur Rahman Meshu (Abahani) It was a regular scene throughout the season that Meshu darts in the opponents danger zone with a quick exchange of passes with someone from the midfield (Pranotosh Kumar or Abdul Baten Komol in most of the cases) and unleashes a threatening cross from the wings. He also can help his forwards by disturbing two opposing defenders, standing as a barrier in front of them. Attacking-midfield Mithun Chowdhury (Sheikh Russell) Although he missed the starting XI in many matches this season to make way for his high profile Haitian teammate Sony Norde, surely he is the best performer in this position in the country. He works as a bridge between the midfield and forward, while he also tracks back the opponent attackers to help the defence. He is equally able to score, having weapons like long range shooting and finishing skills in his custody. Moreover, he is desperate to score and thus can take risks. Right-wing Zahid Hossain (Sk Russell) He has played through the middle for Russell this season but he causes havoc anywhere he plays. He is so good; any time I watch him play I wonder why he just can’t try to be less controversial. With his speed, power, accurate crossing skill and match winning ability, he might just be the difference between a good or bad season for his team. The tricky bit is that he has it in him to ensure either. Left-wing Shakil Ahmed (Sk Jamal) After a couple of years of straight football, Jamal took the decision to bring some spice in their attack and recruited Shakil at the beginning of the season. The decision has paid off handsomely for them, with the national winger netting three times and creating many more goals in his 16 appearances for them this season. Sheer speed, fearsome cutbacks, habit of going up and down according to the need of the team made him one of the best players this season. Centre Forward Zahid Hasan Emily (Sheikh Russell) Sixteen appearances, seven goals, numerous assists. Classic Emily. Without him, it would have been hard for Russell to win the treble. He has brought with him not just goals and creativity but also a new level of class in ball retention and distribution. Because of him, Russell are the highest scorers in the league with 30 goals. He is a natural finisher and can score in every possible way, while also sometimes going back to help the defence.
